After that, everyone continued onward.
When night fell, Fang Zheng opened the Teleportation Gate again and sent Shirai Kuroko and Misaka Mikoto back to Academy City. Although they wanted to keep adventuring here, Tokiwadai had a curfew. The two had no choice but to say goodbye and come back the next day... It couldn't be helped. After all, time passed together across these worlds. If they didn't return, they could just wait for the dorm supervisor to keep a close eye on them!
Saten Ruiko, on the other hand, did not return. There were only a few people here at the moment, and Rei was closest to her. After thinking it over, Ruizi decided to stay.
As for Philly... she had nowhere else to go.
Still, the scenery here truly wasn't very pleasant.
When Shirai Kuroko and Misaka Mikoto returned to the Void Radiance Ship the next day, they still saw nothing but ruins, wreckage, parched land, and swarms of Pollution Beasts.
"I've never seen such a desolate place..."
Misaka Mikoto frowned as she looked out at the land below. To be honest, several hours had passed, yet she had not seen the slightest trace of green. All she could see were yellow sands, barren wastelands, and blackened urban ruins.
"Mr. Fang Zheng, can this world really be saved?"
If Misaka Mikoto had not known much about this world's situation before, then this sight vividly demonstrated its current predicament.
"For now, I'm afraid this is all there is to it."
Fang Zheng shrugged.
"The land's desolation is a systemic energy problem. Even if we solve the Pollution Beasts, it won't help. Water and food will become even more pressing issues once there is no longer the threat of Pollution Beasts."
"Can the Pollution Beasts be dealt with?"
"Of course. It's