Arknights, but Raising Terra

Chen Ran paid it no mind. As he explained the situation on the planet model to Amiya, he held out a hand to her.

"All right, quit sticking your butt out over there. Step onto my hand, and I'll drop you in."

All of Terra was flourishing—

At least, that was what Savior Kal'tsit believed.

God had sent them food, water, even houses and shelter.

No longer needing to worry about survival, the survivors naturally had the energy to do other things.

For example...

"Doctor Kal'tsit!"

"You brat, watch how you talk! That's the Divine Messenger!"

"Oh, oh, oh... Then, Divine Messenger, our doctrine... Ah, no, no, I mean, does Lord God have any divine will to convey to us?"

The revival of theology was inevitable, as was the rise of religion.

In just a few days, the religion founded by that former fanatic had won the support of every survivor.

And Kal'tsit had naturally been given all sorts of titles—saintess, cult leader, Divine Messenger, and more.

Kal'tsit... did not stop it.

Religion had already flourished in Terra before its destruction. Now it was merely returning, and besides, the god of their religion truly existed.

But that was precisely where the problem lay.

Since it was a religion, they naturally needed to convey God's will.

But God's will?

Kal'tsit thought back. When she had met with that god before, she had asked that very question.

And what answer had she received then?

Have children.

Kal'tsit: "..."

What the hell.

Question: Divine Messenger, Divine Messenger! What are we supposed to do after joining this religion?

Answer: Throw parties.

What kind of fucking cult was this?

So Kal'tsit could only spout nonsense with a straight face.

She said it was for the revival of humanity, for making this planet a better place, and so on.

Fortunately, those survivors actually believed her.

One by one, they proactively expanded the camp and ventured outward.

Until—

"Divine Messenger! Divine Messenger!!!"

A survivor rushed into the meeting room and shouted, "Lord God has manifested again! Divine Messenger, come out and look!"

Hearing that, Kal'tsit looked out the window.

Sure enough, an enormous hand descended from the sky, blotting out the heavens, then opened its palm...

"Is that a person? Has Lord God sent someone else?"

Demon King Rabbit: Who Is This Cat? Why Does She Hiss at Me the Moment She Sees Me?

Standing in Chen Ran's palm, Amiya was smoothly delivered to the planet's surface.

After Chen Ran withdrew his hand, Amiya performed a lady's curtsy before turning to look at this... so-called parallel Worldline.

"So this is... the Worldline that was destroyed by the Sea Creatures?"

"Why is it a little different... from what I imagined?"

As far as the eye could see, everything was teeming with life and thriving.

But there was no sign of people.

"No, Lord God said there were survivors in this parallel Worldline."

"Then... have the survivors here formed separate factions and fought endlessly, or are they united?"

Amiya preferred to believe it was the latter, but having traveled through countless Worldlines, she knew the former was far more likely.

After all... Terra's people were beyond saving.

That was why Amiya believed Lord God would not deceive her. Perhaps this was the "good ending" she had sought for so long.

"But didn't Lord God say that once I arrived, a kitty would come pick me up?"

"Where's the kitty?"

Amiya turned to look around, and the instant she sensed someone approaching—

"Amiya...?"

An unfamiliar voice came from behind her, yet it called her name with absolute certainty.

Ah... this person was probably the kitty Lord God had mentioned?

So Amiya turned around, only to see Savior Kal'tsit holding the Holy Sword, her face filled with astonishment.

It was impossible for Savior Kal'tsit not to be shocked.

Kal'tsit had imagined that god might send another Sea Creature, or perhaps another Divine Messenger.

But...

Even with the black veil over her face, adding an air of mystery and elegance, Kal'tsit still recognized the person before her as Amiya.

And when Amiya turned to face her, just as Kal'tsit thought an emotional reunion would follow—

"Who are you?" Amiya asked.

That utterly genuine confusion left Kal'tsit frozen in place.

This... was not the Amiya she knew?

That made sense...

Since she had been sent here by Lord God, perhaps she was also a Divine Messenger?

No, perhaps she was a Sea Creature? Hadn't those Sea Creatures all become capable of evolving into humanoid forms? Maybe one of them had evolved to look like Amiya?

Kal'tsit kept trying to convince herself.

Because the way Amiya looked at her like a stranger was truly painful.

With a complicated expression, Kal'tsit instinctively raised her head, wanting to look at Amiya's head and see whether there was a little flower there.

She did not see a little flower, but she did see a black crown that nearly stopped her heart.

"Continuance of Civilization...?"

Kal'tsit's pupils contracted violently. She gripped the Holy Sword tightly, involuntarily taking a step back.

Kal'tsit knew Chen Ran could craft planets by hand, but she had not known he could even craft entirely different Worldlines.

As a result, Kal'tsit instinctively thought she had run into a cyber female ghost.

Why?

That black crown called "Continuance of Civilization" represented Originium. But on this Worldline where the Sea Creatures had destroyed the world, Originium had already been wiped out by the Sea Creatures.

Yet now the black crown had appeared again. Who could the black crown—no, who could Originium—represent?

Precise.

At once, Kal'tsit's cat ears flattened backward, and even her back arched slightly.

Fortunately, after the diamond-shaped pupils in Amiya's eyes flickered several times, Amiya gave a soft laugh.

"I was just teasing you. I know you, Doctor Kal'tsit."

Amiya gave a gentle lady's curtsy and continued, "I've traveled through many Worldlines, so naturally, I've seen you in them, Doctor Kal'tsit. But this is the first time we've spoken like this."

Amiya knew who Kal'tsit was. She even knew what her relationship with Kal'tsit, the Doctor, and Theresia was in other Worldlines.

Was she their daughter? Their sister? Or the good little baby cherished in all three of their palms?

Was she envious?

Amiya was undoubtedly envious.

But after seeing it so often, for so long, Amiya had become numb.

Just like this Savior Kal'tsit standing before her.

Why had this Savior Kal'tsit been surprised upon seeing her? Why had she been expectant?

Was she looking forward to Amiya's arrival?

No, she was not.

What Kal'tsit saw was not her, the Demon King Rabbit, but the shadows of other Amiyas upon her.

Demon King Rabbit understood this perfectly. The anticipation shown toward her belonged to someone else, and the affection shown toward her did not belong to her either.

So even though Demon King Rabbit was smiling now, her eyes were full of coldness.

The diamond-shaped pupils in her eyes flickered constantly. Almost the instant she saw Kal'tsit, Amiya had used the black crown above her head to dissect Kal'tsit's past, present, and every thought in her heart.

Fortunately, the black veil over her face kept Kal'tsit from seeing that.

"You..." Kal'tsit was still hesitant. "Are you really Amiya...?"

"It's me." Amiya laughed softly. "Though I'm not the little bunny you know. Um... Doctor Kal'tsit, do you understand what parallel Worldlines are?"

"I do..." Kal'tsit nodded, but she still did not let down her guard. "So you mean you're... Amiya from another Worldline?"

"That's right. Lord God calls me Demon King Rabbit."

Amiya thought for a moment and said, "Do you know Lord God? Or should I call you Savior Cat?"

Kal'tsit: "..."

No, it was Savior Cat, not Savior Meow...

No, wait, when had she actually accepted that nickname?

Still, after Amiya spoke the title Lord God had given her, Kal'tsit finally relaxed and put her mind at ease.

"But Demon King Rabbit? Amiya, you... I can call you that, right? What happened in your Worldline for you to become—"

"Ah, right."

Amiya had no intention of listening to Kal'tsit reminisce. Instead, she turned away and forcibly changed the subject. "Lord God said this Worldline has already been through a very long time. So where is the me from this Worldline?"

Kal'tsit: "..."

"I see." Amiya nodded, as though she had guessed something. "Even the Doctor had to rely on a sarcophagus to forcibly prolong life. So if I wasn't a long-lived race in this Worldline... then my ending was already destined."

Kal'tsit: "..."

"What about the Doctor?" Amiya asked again. "Is the Doctor still lying in the sarcophagus?"

Kal'tsit wanted to say that the Doctor had come out, but she had shoved him back in.

Of course, the reason she had shoved the Doctor back in was because the Doctor had been forcibly awakened this time, so he needed to return to the sarcophagus and recuperate...

It definitely was not because the Doctor heard Hakimi's activation sound effect and the meowing damage sound effect, then laughed for three days and three nights until Kal'tsit could no longer stand it and forcibly shoved the Doctor back into the sarcophagus, okay?

Definitely not.