"Akeno, I'm going to the next timeline today." announced Rin as they shared breakfast in the cafeteria.

  "Already?"

  "Yes. The previous world hasn't really been a taxing one, so I don't feel tired. I asked Scathach and she agreed to come with me."

  Scathach, who was eating near Rin, nodded wordlessly.

  "I am fine with it. Make sure to take a Sanctuary with you. Are you bringing another Servant as well? Scathach is strong, but she can only be in one pce at once."

  "Is anyone willing to come?" asked Rin as she looked around. Many hands were lifted.

  "Tomoe, you were the first to lift your hand." said Akeno.

  "Yes. I wish to take a more active part." said Tomoe.

  "Yes. Genos has your command spells, but that shouldn't be an issue. If things over there are really bad, feel free to request reinforcements."

  "While we are over there, I will train her." decred Scathach. "Tomoe is strong, but still has room for improvement."

  Akeno nodded in approval, not missing the slight inflexion on the word 'train'. It seemed that Scathach didn't mean only combat training. Akeno was fine with it, as she already was swamped.

  …

  Akeno took a deep breath and knocked on the door, fondly remembering what had happened the st time she had done so.

  "Enter." said Gudako as the door opened.

  As Akeno had expected, Gudako wasn't alone. She was sitting on her bed, a portable game console in hand, and Mash was standing in front of her.

  Akeno felt amusement as Mash seemed to shift her posture to pce herself between her and Gudako. Not quite hiding her behind her back, but close.

  "Hi, Gudako, Mash. how are you doing?"

  "I'm fine, thank you for asking." smiled Mash.

  "I'm a bit bored, to be honest." said Gudako. "I'm eager to take on another timeline."

  "I hear you had many close calls on the st one, against Angry Jeanne." said Akeno. "And yet, you didn't call Chaldea for reinforcements."

  "Angry Jeanne, eh? Don't let her hear you call her that. But yeah, my bad." chuckled Gudako, blushing a little. "But it worked out fine at the end, so its fine."

  "Senpai, this isn't a ughing matter!" scolded Mash, turning toward her.

  "How do you feel, Mash? Any health issues?" asked Akeno with concern.

  "None that I can feel. I still have time." said Mash, unhappy at the reminder. She had known for years that she would die young and had made her peace with it. The possibility that Akeno might correct the issue didn't feel quite real to her yet.

  Akeno moved the chair from under Gudako's desk and sat on it.

  "I have been deliberately vague about the process of fixing your problem, Mash. Because it is a delicate matter. Do you want us to speak in private?"

  "No." said Mash as she shook her head. "I completely trust Senpai. She can hear anything you have to say."

  Akeno nodded. In truth, since Mash's problem was genetic in nature, she could likely fix it with Greater Healing. But would she miss an opportunity to have fun with Mash and add the cute girl to Noah's harem?

  Of course not!

  Besides, since Gudako was a reckless idiot, both her and Mash needed every bit of strength she could give them before they left for their next timeline. Now satisfied that she had a good justification, she decided to proceed with her pn.

  "As you wish." nodded Akeno. "I told you about Noah, right?"

  Gudako and Mahs both nodded.

  "The key to solving your problem is for you to share Noah's infinite lifespan, by binding your soul to his. This is done by signing a soul contract, where you would swear loyalty to Noah. I can create a contract in his name, so him being stuck in another timeline isn't a problem."

  "The problem is that for it to work, just swearing loyalty to him on paper isn't enough. You have to mean it, from the bottom of your heart."

  "I… am not sure I can swear that. I don't even know him."

  "Even when your life is on the line?" asked Akeno. "I realize this is a big ask, but Noah isn't a bad person. He would treat you well, I am sure of it."

  "Even then…" hesitated Mash, looking back at Gudako.

  Gudako might be a reckless idiot, but she wasn't completely dense, and dimly realized that Mash's objection was at least in part because of her. Even if she didn't exactly understand why. So, she decided to do what a good Senpai should do for her cute Kouhai.

  "Hey, Akeno. Do it with me first."

  "Sen-pai?" asked Mash, completely aghast.

  "If I bind my soul to him or whatever, and it works, then Mash will see that everything's fine, and she won't hesitate anymore, right?"

  "That's a surprising development, but it should help, yes." nodded Akeno. "It would also make you a lot stronger and increase your chances in the next timeline."

  "Good. Then let's do it!" nodded Gudako.

  "Wait! I can't accept this!" excimed Mash as she waved her hands.

  "…Akeno. You have a way to make me feel more loyal to Noah, right?"

  "I do. And I have a hundred percent success rate with it." nodded Akeno.

  "Fine. Please do it." sighed Mash.

  "It's a process that should take several weeks. But we'll be using my Sanctuary to compress the time, so it should be over by the end of the week."

  Mash nodded.

  "Please follow me, then."

  Mash reluctantly followed her to Akeno's room, and Akeno charged Sanctuary with her mana.

  Once inside the wooden house's living room, Akeno smiled to Mash.

  "Give me your hand, Mash, please."

  "How are you going to do it, then?" asked Mash as she extended her right hand, and Akeno drew a Stop rune on the back.

  "There are two issues that stop you from being loyal to Noah, I think. Well, three, if I take into account the fact that you don't know much about him at this point."

  "The first is your dear Senpai. You fear that Noah or I will steal her from you. But that's silly. On the contrary, by the time you both go to the next timeline, you will both be closer to each other."

  "What do you mean?" asked Mash, blushing. She didn't like how Akeno seemed to see through her own feelings when Gudako still hadn't realized.

  "I mean things like kissing and cuddling together and having fun under the covers. Do you not want that kind of retionship with Gudako?"

  Mash blushed fiercely, but made a small nod.

  "Then you're in luck. Noah actually encourages such retionships between his subordinates. He's not the jealous type, as least as long as there are no men involved."

  "And the second thing?"

  "You're not used to having someone holding that level of authority over you. I mean, you acknowledge Olga-Marie as your superior because she's the Director, but there are limits to the kind of orders you would accept from her."

  "Of course." nodded Mash.

  "Yes. We need to get you used to having someone holding full authority over you. In crude terms, I need to teach you to like submission. Once that is achieved, as long as you consider Noah as being worthy of your service, you won't have any problem feeling true loyalty toward him."

  "I…see." hesitated Mash. "But how are you going to make me more submissive?" She had a sneaking suspicion, and she hoped she was wrong.

  "With sexual pleasure." smiled Akeno, confirming Mash's fears.

  "Don't worry, I have a lot of experience by now!"

  "That's what worries me!" retorted Mash.

  "Hush. Just let me show you just how fun it can be."

  …

  Fifteen minutes ter, Mash was kneeling on the basement's floor, her hands bound by leather cuffs linked to a chain hanging the ceiling. She wore bck and purple tex opera gloves and stockings, and a sleeveless leotard of the same material that exposed her navel and breasts.

  "Mmpht." protested Mash into the ball gag filling her mouth.

  Akeno had also blindfolded her. Around her neck was one of the special colrs. A medium-sized vibrator penetrated her pussy, and she had four pill vibrators in her butt.

  Akeno had been surprised to see that Mash had torn her hymen. The girl had shyly admitted that she had pyed a little too hard with herself while thinking about her Senpai. Not that Akeno cared about girls' virginity.

  "You look beautiful, Mash." breathed Akeno into her ears. She started pying with Mash's rge breasts.

  "The colr you wear is a magic item, Mash. It will promote your brain's production of dopamine and serotonin. Two hormones linked to short and long-term happiness, as well as libido. As a result, you will end up liking anything I do to you. I am going to engrave the joys of sexual submission and bondage sex deep into your bones, Mash. Far too deep to be erased. You won't even want to."

  "Mmohpth" protested Mash. She now had an expnation to the abnormal pleasure she felt, being bound in this embarrassing position, wearing that embarrassing outfit, groped by hands that felt too good to be natural. But she awareness didn't mean this tactic wouldn't work anymore, and Mash realized that if this went on for too long, she really would end as Akeno said.

  Then the vibrators picked up in speed.

  …

  Olga-Marie sighed tiredly as she sat behind her desk. She had studied the test inventory or consumables, made projections, and created a list of the most urgent materials and components to be procured. Not that it would help much, with them being cut from the outside world.

  Being back in her quarters left her mixed feelings. The damage from the bomb had been repaired, the damaged furniture repced. It was a familiar pce to her, and it bought her some comfort. It also was the pce where she had died.

  She knew that she had a grave just outside of the research center, where her remains had been buried. She hadn't gone to see it. Maybe she never would. There was something humorous about the situation that she could appreciate. But thinking about her death made her think about Lev and his betrayal, so she tried to distract herself with other things.

  The operation to retrieve the world fragments was going well so far. She didn't agree with Akeno's methods, gathering women left, right and center, but she had to admit that she was effective. If not for her lustful appetite, sinking her cws into every pretty woman crossing her path, they would be a in far worse position to recover all the other world fragments.

  Even now, she likely was working her wiles on Mash. And if she was anything like Noah…

  Olga-Marie felt her legs press against each other, as if they had their own will. She would grow aroused whenever she thought about him, the memories of their intimate moments and the pleasure he gave her coming back to the forefront of her consciousness.

  Someone knocked at the door.

  Olga-Marie frowned as she gnced at the hour. Nearly midnight.

  "Open door."

  The door obeyed her verbal command, revealing Takina.

  "Yes, Takina? Is there anything wrong?"

  "Not at all, Director." smiled Takina. "But since Akeno is currently busy with Mash, I figured that I should be the one to pay you a visit."

  "And why should Akeno visit me at this hour?"

  "I think you know, Marie." said Takina with a seductive smile as she approached, and Olga-Marie felt a spike in arousal. Being called Marie by Takina was a clear indication of her intent.

  From her spatial ring, Takina took one of the Sanctuaries and pced it on her desk.

  "There is only enough mana in this one to gain a few hours over the flow of time outside. I am going to bring you in, and you will have your daily training session. Then we'll cuddle and have a good night's sleep, and you will start tomorrow fresh and well rested. What do you think, Marie?"

  "I do not have a choice, do I?" asked Olga-Marie.

  "You do have a choice." replied Takina as she shook her head, and started removing her uniform, revealing the bck leather bustier and skintight leather pants she wore underneath. "You can tell me no, and I will leave. But you won't."

  Olga-Marie opened her mouth, but no sound came from it. Her arousal was growing to the point that it couldn't be ignored. She finally sighed, and nodded.

  "Good girl." praised Takina.

  Takina shook her hand and brought her inside. This Sanctuary was modeled after a small bamboo grove and a house of gray stone. The basement underneath was almost identical to the one Akeno was used to.

  Takina hugged Olga-Marie, both hands on her butt.

  "You haven't done it with a girl yet, am I wrong."

  "…No."

  "I will be gentle." nodded Takina before she kissed Olga-Marie.

  Olga-Marie moaned sweetly, and Takina released her with a smile.

  "Let's go to the basement, Marie." grinned Takina, and Olga-Marie reluctantly nodded, letting her take her hand and lead her toward the home.

  …

  "So far, so good." muttered Aria as she took position two kilometers away from the high-security prison. Her Bck Widow was using its active camoufge for all it was worth, the coin-sized metallic scales covering the mobile suit and its rifle changing color to seemingly merge with its rocky surroundings. It had taken her hours to slowly creep forward, but now, she only had to wait. It wouldn't be long.

  Releasing the commands, she slowly stretched, the thick artificial leather of her red stripped bck pilot suit creaking.

  As she had nothing to do for now but monitor the enemy mobile suits patrolling the periphery, her mind drifted to other matters. What was soon going to happen was one of the results of her admitting to her companions that she was a God's Champion. That she had supernatural abilities, and cooperated with six other Champions, each trying to better their own worlds in parallel dimensions.

  Of course, they hadn't believed her at first. Not until she demonstrated her physical abilities without holding back, and Aria borrowed Noah's help to have them speak with Takina through their smartphones.

  After that emotional meeting, they had taken the information Noah gave them very seriously, and made significant progress in their fight against their enemies. Setsuna and the damaged Gundam Exia had been recovered, its sor furnace successfully transferred to Gundam 00.

  The twisted A-Laws who tried to field-test autonomous combat drones on the prisoners of a penitential asteroid colony were intercepted on their way in, and the prisoners transferred to the Resistance's custody.

  Aria, with Sumeragi's approval, had performed a preemptive strike on Ribbons Almark, the mastermind and final antagonist in the fiction, destroying his private shuttle as it entered Earth's atmosphere. The smug, maniputive brainiac had expected Celestial Being to still be quietly doing preparations to fight the A-Laws, and never suspected them to know about him. For those reasons, he had neglected his security, and paid the price for it.

  Celestial being agents had confirmed the kill. Removing him early would bring some uncertainty in their future, but Sumeragi and Aria both thought it was worth it. Whoever repced him would likely be less competent.

  Shaking her head, Aria decided to take the opportunity to call Chisato.

  "Hello Hello?"

  "Hi, Chisato." smiled Aria. "Can we talk?"

  "Yes! You'll never believe where I am!"

  "Still in Tourin, in that Stormgarde Academy?"

  "Nope! I'm on a ship! A wooden ship with no less than a dozen huge masts, and enough sails to cover half a soccer field! It is a BIIIG one! The crew alone is over five hundred people!"

  "That many?" wondered Aria as she tried to imagine it. What kind of wood could be used to withstand the structural requirements a giant ship would require?

  "Yeah. The Chinese, I mean, Yangxu citizens on that world have the most advanced civilization, it seems. Not only do they have those immense ships, but they invented gunpowder long ago. They're just not using it because they're cultivators! The leader of this fleet, Core Elder Baiyu, looks like a young woman, but she's in her te thirties, and she can fly by standing on a huge sword!"

  "Wow. That sounds great." said Aria. "How did you meet her?"

  "When Princess Li and Princess Zi agreed to join our group, their servants were in a panic, and they sent messages to a lot of people. Elder Baiyu was close by, commanding one of their great trading fleets, and she came to Raelera to bring the princesses back home, by force if necessary. But after she got trounced by Sakura and Medusa, and we tempted her with immortality and more, she finally decided to join in on the fun as well. So, she's accompanying us and Hitomi to Aquecia to deal with the three heroes and heal the people they injured."

  "Are you going to learn cultivation?"

  "No. At least, not right away. After we're done with all this and we can meet again, Noah's next world will be one with many different pnets and cultivators. Their cultivation method will likely be much better if their top pyers can move between pnets, so we decided to wait until he returns with the goods."

  "…That next world sounds like a ton of work, though. Noah will probably have to spend a long time over there."

  "Yeah… About him, have you decided?" asked Chisato in a softer voice.

  "…I'm still thinking about it. But after hearing in detail how he trained Takina, and how she seems happy with having him as a Master despite being a lesbian… I'm somewhat inclined toward joining you both in his harem. He doesn't sound too bad, for a man. Most of them don't really care past their own pleasure, and it's rare to find one who actually listen… And I miss you girls so much." confessed Aria.

  "I miss you a lot, too, Aria. I'm really eager for us to finish with our mission and to meet again."

  Aria could hear the longing in Chisato's voice.

  As she spoke, Aria monitored her instruments, both to look for any spike in enemy activity and scrutinizing a particur patch of the sky. And she found it. A rge object was starting to enter the atmosphere. The Ptolemaios 2 had coming.

  It was still far enough yet that the prison staff hadn't located them yet. Probably.

  "Got to go, Chisato. A major operation is about to start. Say hi to your friends for me. I'm looking forward to meeting them one day. Love you, Chisato."

  "Love you too, and Good luck, Aria. And be safe, don't make Noah resurrect you, okay?"

  Aria chuckled as she ended the call. It would likely be about a minute before the prison staff detected the incoming warship, as the twin rge sor furnaces powering the ship also emitted a field rendering it invisible to radars, but there was always the change or a lucky guy on the ground or in orbit making visual contact.

  Aria took a deep breath, carefully aimed her Bck Widow's particle beam rifle to the cluster of antennas on the prison's roof and opened fire.

  She didn’t wait to evaluate the damage done as she already lined up the communication arrays on the two grounded battleships and destroyed them as well. She then moved away in a hurry, with four A-Laws mobile suits going at maximum speed toward her position.

  Judging from the communication chatter, she had succeeded in destroying the prison's ability to call for help.

  Aria expertly weaved between the rocky formations as she evaded the first few shots, her camoufge unable to effectively hide her and only making it harder for the enemy to aim at her. As she flew only a few meters above ground, she rotated her mobile suit to face her pursuers and fired back, hitting the closest one in the chest, destroying it. She then took an ascending trajectory while releasing her four funnels, and the hunters became the hunted.

  Aria was strong. Strong enough that with only three enemies, she could constantly keep track of the direction their weapons were pointed to, and start evading before they started firing. With her funnels delivering pulse canon fire from angles the three A-Laws had a hard time keeping track of, she made quick work of them.

  More mobile Suits were coming while the funnels returned and anchored themselves on Bck Widow's back, and Aria slowly backed away, making no attempt to hide. Her job was to draw the enemy away from the prison, and it seemed to be working.

  Until it wasn't, as the nine mobile suits turned back toward the prison. It seemed they had a competent commanding officer in one of the two battleships currently warming up their engines for emergency take-off.

  The Ptolemaios was much closer now, adjusting its trajectory, activating its GN field to deflect the first few shots coming from the battleships' main batteries.

  Instead of slowing down, the Ptolemaios accelerated, crashing into the ocean three hundred meters from the prison and making a spsh so enormous that a wave of water-saturated air spread over the area like mist.

  That was Sumeragi's pn. The water particles and vapor in the air would severely blunt the effectiveness of beam weapons, causing them to fizzle out after about two hundred meters. Missiles, however, were unaffected, and as soon as the Ptolemaios resurfaced, dozens of them were unched at the mobile suits, destroying some of them.

  If that wasn't enough, a railgun projectile coming from above destroyed another of the A-Laws mobile suit, and they looked up in consternation to see three Gundams coming in. They had left the Ptolemaios during its mad charge to the sea, before it was detected.

  Aria wasn't content with just watching after her role as bait failed, and harassed the enemy from another angle, forcing them to fight on another front.

  As soon as she to close enough, she also aimed her particle rifle at the two battleships' main batteries, destroying them, then at their thrusters, forcing them to the ground before they could rise more than a dozen meters.

  "Great job, Aria." said Sumeragi through their secure channel.

  "Thanks. Are our allies coming?" asked Aria, referring to the Resistance. They were coordinating their attack to free every single prisoner, not just the Gundam Meister that was held inside it.

  "Yes, they will come as soon as the st enemy mobile suit is destroyed."

  Aria, nodded, taking another A-Law in the back while avoiding the fire of two more. With four Gundams deployed and less than a dozen enemies remaining, it would be over soon. The hardest part would be subduing the prison staff.

  Aria would leave her cockpit and participate directly. It had been a while since she st used her assault rifle, but the enemy wouldn't stand a chance when facing a Champion who specialized in firearms.