AN: It's time of the week again!
Welcome back, everyone, for another series of updates!
The war continues on two fronts, and the next front protected by the Astral Express crew is about to begin as well!
Hope you all will enjoy this chapter!
=============================
Non-Administrated World #97, Star Rail Universe…
The Chaldea command center had fallen into controlled chaos. Alarms screamed from every corner of the base, while red warnings flashed across every screen.
Operators shouted over one another as data poured in faster than anyone could fully process. The organized work from before had been broken the moment Dormammu shattered the dimensional walls.
Now, every station was alive with movement. Every monitor was filled with rupture readings, leyline distortion graphs, and emergency communications from around the world.
CHALDEAS rotated in the center of the room. The projection of the blue planet was now covered with red spots. Among the largest red dots, Mahora City shone the brightest, followed by Gateport site, Egypt, North America, and the Mediterranean crossing.
And around those locations, dozens upon dozens of smaller red points began appearing.
"Mahora breach confirmed!" a Chaldea staff member reported. "Large-scale hostile entities are emerging above the World Tree! The first magical barrier layer is holding, but the strain is increasing!"
Another operator shouted from the next terminal. " Gateport site dimensional pressure is rising! Estimated rupture in two minutes and seven seconds!"
"Small-scale breaches confirmed in South America, Central Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific locations!"
Marisbury Animusphere stood before CHALDEAS. His expression remained unreadable, but his hands were clenched tightly behind his back.
"Send the data to all defense forces and issue the engagement signal."
The operator immediately relayed the order. "All defense teams, engage hostile entities. Priority remains civilian protection and breach containment. Do not pursue beyond assigned zones."
"The world's dimensional barrier is being forced open one breach at a time." Kirschtaria Wodime, standing beside Marisbury, narrowed his eyes as the red marks multiplied. "…I cannot tell if this should be considered good news or bad news."
"It means the world's protective wall is still active." Marisbury's attention remained fixed on CHALDEAS, watching every red spot around it. "Dormammu has likely changed his strategy. Since Lady Sirin discovered his location, he no longer has enough time to break the wall completely."
"So instead of creating one giant hole, he is spreading the strain everywhere." Kirschtaria paled as realization settled in. "By opening small holes at crucial points, he intends to weaken the foundation until it collapses."
A staff member turned toward them, shaken. "D-director! SHEBA prediction updated! If all five primary breach points remain active for more than one hour, dimensional wall stability will drop below seventy percent!"
Another voice followed, more shaken than the first. "At fifty percent, Dormammu may be able to force partial manifestation into the real world."
The command center fell colder despite the noise. Everyone understood what that meant. If Noah, Sirin, and Hayate could not keep Dormammu occupied… or if the defensive fronts below could not hold…Then the monster in the gap would no longer need permission to enter.
Marisbury closed his eyes for a second, then he opened them again. "Status of Lord Peverell's team?"
A screen expanded beside CHALDEAS. The image was unstable, torn apart by interference from the Dimensional Gap. Only flashes of white-gold flame, purple spatial distortion, white magical beams, and a massive shadow wrapped in black-purple fire could be seen.
"Direct observation remains limited," one operator reported. "But energy readings confirm Lord Peverell, Lady Sirin, and Lady Hayate are still in combat with Dormammu."
"So their battle continues." Kirschtaria's expression hardened.
"Yes," Marisbury said. "And ours begins."
Another alarm cut through the room.
"Mahora front has entered combat!"
The central screen displayed the Mahora Academy Front. The sky above it was split apart as thousands of Quantum Shadows flooded out, covering the sky.
—------
The sky above Mahora Academy was covered in darkness. Thousands of Quantum Shadows fell from the hole Dormammu had opened. Ducal Shades, Shadows of Ruin, Void Taurus, Void Hellions, Void Erinyes, Void Gorgons, Void Chelas, and Opaque Shadows continued pouring from the broken sky.
Fortunately, Mahora was not defenseless. As soon as the Quantum Shadows began to appear, they crashed against the academy's protective barrier, their advance halted before they could reach the grounds.
Perhaps insulted by the barrier, the Shadows began attacking the massive dome that dared to block their way.
Inside the barrier, Mahora's mage teachers and the entire defense force moved at once.
"First formation, fire!"
From the rooftops of nearby buildings, Mahora's mage teachers unleashed spell after spell. Wind blades tore through the first wave. Binding circles snapped around the larger Shadows. Lightning spears pierced through enemies before exploding into bursts of blue-white light.
Kataragi, dressed in his usual black suit and sunglasses, raised one hand as wind gathered around his fingers.
"Kamaitachi!"
A compressed blade of air ripped through a group of Shadows trying to dive toward the eastern courtyard, breaking their Superposed State before they could land.
"Now! Finish them before they recover!"
Several student mages straightened immediately.
"Don't panic!" one of the older students shouted. "Kataragi-sensei has already broken its state! We can do this!"
"Sagitta Magica!"
"Dios Tukos!"
"Dory Petrās!"
"Apes Igniferae!"
With the students' relentless attacks, the group of Quantum Shadows took hit after hit without being able to counter. Eventually, they all dissolved into quantum particles.
"W-we did it!"
"We defeated them!"
"I-I can't believe it…"
Kataragi lowered his hand only slightly, watching the students from behind his sunglasses. "Good job, everyone. Keep this up, but don't lower your guard! We still have a lot of enemies to clean up."
"YES!!!" the students answered enthusiastically.
From the western side of the campus, Sister Shakti and the other Church Executors and Exorcists were fighting with all their might.
Sister Shakti moved from one place to another, controlling her floating crosses with sharp precision. She slammed them toward a Void Hellion, breaking its Superposed State. But she was not done yet. She turned, lowered her stance, and struck its chest with her palm.
"Ha!"
The Void Hellion was forced backward, its body cracking from the impact. Before it could recover, Shakti spun, her heel glowing with reinforced mana as she kicked through its arm.
"Now!"
The Executors behind her moved immediately. They threw the Black Keys in their hands, pinning the Void Hellion to the ground.
"In the name of the Lord, return to dust."
Several Exorcists raised crosses and scripture pages. Their prayers overlapped as holy light burned the pinned Shadow.
The Void Hellion twisted once before dissolving into particles.
But the relief was short-lived. Another group of Quantum Shadows tried to slip around them.
"We cannot let these things reach the World Tree!" Shakti said.
But just as she was about to move, a Shadow of Ruin threw a dark sphere toward her. She hurriedly grabbed her floating cross and used it to block, but the force of the impact made her slide backward.
"Shakti!!"
An Executor not far from her drove his cross-shaped sword into the Shadow of Ruin, breaking its Superposed State.
"Thanks!" Shakti said after recovering.
Then she jumped forward and slammed her cross into the Shadow of Ruin, finishing it off.
"Fuu… that was a close one," Shakti said as she watched the Shadow turn into particles.
"Let's go. There's still more where that came from," the Executor called as he ran toward a Void Chela that had slammed itself into another Executor.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!" Sister Shakti said as she ran after him.
On the other side of the battlefield, the Kansai reinforcements were blocking the Quantum Shadows' advance.
Unlike Mahora's western-style magic, they used talismans, spiritual weapons, and shikigami. A group of eastern mages chanted in unison as talisman formations appeared in the sky, firing explosive spells toward the falling Shadows.
[Do not allow them to scatter into the city. Once they spread, civilians beyond the academy district will be in danger.] Konoemon's voice carried through the communication line.
[Understood. We will form a defensive line to block their way toward the residential district.] one of the Kanto commanders answered immediately.
The Kansai representative followed. "We had our shikigami deploy a surveillance net above, mapping the enemy movements. We will help track them and make sure no one passes the defensive line."
The old rivalry between Kanto and Kansai had not magically disappeared. But for this moment, both sides worked together as they fought against the invaders.
However, the battle did not slow down at all. It only grew more intense as the second wave of Quantum Shadows poured out of the hole and slammed their bodies into the barrier all at once. Cracks began appearing across the barrier after repeated hits.
But before they could damage it further, a pink beam blasted them away.
"Divine Buster!"
Nanoha-chan's attack sent the Quantum Shadows flying back, clearing the sky above.
[Master, another group is approaching from the upper left side.]
"I see them, Raising Heart!"
She turned in the air and fired again. Another pink beam blasted the Quantum Shadows, turning their bodies into a white Collapse State.
Golden lightning followed, taking advantage of that brief moment of vulnerability.
Fate-chan shot past her like a streak of light, Bardiche in its greatsword form in her hands. She moved faster than the Shadows could react, finishing off the enemies Nanoha-chan had blasted away.
"Photon Lancer!"
Dozens of small, golden, rounded cylinders of mana formed around her and rained down toward the Shadows before they could reach the barrier, breaking their quantum layers.
[Collapse State confirmed,] Bardiche reported.
Fate-chan nodded. "Nanoha, I'll take those on the left!"
"Then I'll take the center!"
The two worked in tandem, finishing the enemies one after another.
Below them, Hayate-chan, still in her Unison state, held the Book of Darkness open in one hand and Schwertkreuz in the other. Pages turned rapidly as Reinforce Zwei supported her from within.
"Vita, Signum, Zafira, Shamal! Enemy formation on the south side!"
"Leave it to me!" Vita shouted, raising Graf Eisen.
She flew straight into a group of Shadows that had broken through the lower barrier, her hammer swinging down with brutal force.
"Raketenhammer!"
The explosion blasted several Shadows into the ground.
Signum moved beside her like a crimson blade, Laevatein cutting cleanly through the enemies that survived Vita's attack.
Zafira crashed into the largest Shadow that had landed near the plaza, his armored fists slamming into its chest before it could crush a group of younger mages.
Shamal stayed behind the line, healing the wounded and supporting the barrier network.
"Hayate-chan, the eastern side of the barrier is weakening!"
"I see it!" Hayate-chan answered immediately. "Rein, convert my spell to match the barrier formula!"
"Right away!"
A Belkan circle opened beneath Hayate-chan. Smaller circles appeared across the eastern side of the academy, reinforcing the weakening barrier before the Shadows could force their way through.
Olga watched the entire battlefield from behind the forward line, her Chaldea tablet glowing in her hands. Multiple windows flickered across the screen: enemy density, barrier strain, local defender positions, and projected breach paths.
"Noah, three Shadows descending behind the left lecture hall!" Olga shouted.
Noah Schweinorg turned immediately. "Argent."
[Binding Spell Loaded.]
Silver threads shot forward and wrapped around the three Quantum Shadows the moment they landed. Their limbs scraped against the pavement, only a few steps away from a wounded mage.
Noah dropped between them and the injured defender. The threads tightened around the Shadows' limbs, locking them in place.
Alisa came in next. "Ruby!"
"Ready, ready~!"
Alisa pointed Ruby toward the Shadows as red magical energy gathered into a bright sphere.
"Flare Burst!"
The beam hit the bound Shadows and blew them apart in a burst of crimson light.
"Honestly, you move the second Olga gives an order." Alisa landed beside Noah and shot him a glare. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to cover someone who keeps jumping in first?"
Noah glanced at her. "I thought you said you were watching me."
"I am. That's why I'm complaining."
Of course, Ruby had something to say. "Translation: 'Moo, what am I going to do with this heroic idiot of mine!'"
"Ruby, focus fire before I throw you."
Before Noah could answer, another Shadow slipped through the smoke and jumped toward Alisa's back.
"Frostmoon Wall!"
An icy blue-white barrier appeared between them. Suzuka, with Sapphire in hand, was flying above them.
The Shadow slammed into the barrier and bounced back. Noah moved without hesitation, bringing his sword down in a clean slash that destroyed its quantum layers. Alisa followed with another blast, finishing it off.
"Thanks, Suzuka." Noah looked at her and smiled. "That was great timing."
Suzuka's cheeks turned faintly pink, but she nodded. "I promised you could rely on me, so I just did my part."
Noah's expression softened for one heartbeat, but Reines' voice cut through the comm.
[How touching. I would clap, but Trimmau is currently busy preventing our side from being overrun.]
A silver mercury maid swept across the plaza, her liquid body changing shape from blades to shields as she intercepted a group of Shadows trying to circle behind Olga. Trimmau's arms extended, slicing through two and pinning a third against the ground.
Reines stood nearby with a confident smile, though her cheeks were still slightly red from earlier. "Trimmau, do be careful. We cannot have our reward date delayed by workplace injuries."
Olga nearly dropped her tablet. "Reines! Stop flirting on the command channel!"
"What are you saying, Marie? Maintaining morale is important."
"This is not morale! You are taking advantage of the situation!"
Gray moved beside Trimmau, the small cage-like cube in her hands transforming into a scythe.
"Add," she whispered.
"Yeah, yeah. I know. Incoming ugly thing at three o'clock." Add laughed. "Don't blame me if this gets messy. Swing properly, grave keeper!"
Gray stepped forward and swung the scythe, cutting through the Shadow before it could even turn toward her. Its body split apart, black particles scattering across the pavement as Gray landed lightly beside Trimmau.
Reines and Olga stared at her in surprise.
Gray noticed and immediately became flustered. "U-um… please don't look so surprised…"
"…Well, that was amazing, Gray." Olga gave her a thumbs up, which made Gray's face turn bright red.
Reines smiled from behind her. "Oh? It seems Gray is very enthusiastic to claim her reward."
"Miss Reines!"
Olga's voice snapped again.
"Stop teasing her! Also, Noah, enemy movement at the upper right!"
"Roger!"
Noah jumped onto the nearest building, facing the newly landed group of Quantum Shadows. Fate-chan landed beside him at the same time.
"Need help?" Fate asked softly.
"Please!"
Fate gave him a small smile. "Then leave it to me."
The two raised their weapons and flashed forward together. Silver and gold blurred through the group of Quantum Shadows, slicing apart their quantum layers.
"Now!" Noah and Fate-chan shouted.
"Divine Buster!"
Nanoha-chan's pink beam came from above, wiping out the weakened Quantum Shadows in one clean blast.
"Nice teamwork!" Noah laughed.
"Ehe!" Nanoha-chan flashed a bright smile and a V sign.
"That was indeed great teamwork." Fate smiled happily beside Noah.
Below the street, Olga's eyes narrowed at her tablet.
"The hole is still widening, and it shows no sign of stopping."
Hayate-chan heard her through the comm and looked up sharply. "Rein!"
"This is bad, Hayate-chan! The Quantum Shadows got attracted by the mana density around the World Tree!"
Konoemon's voice entered the line. [All units, maintain formation. The first and second waves are only the beginning.]
As if answering him, the hole in the sky widened again, and more Quantum Shadows poured out.
Larger ones this time. Their bodies were heavier, their limbs thicker. Several smashed into the barrier together.
Then, finally, the first barrier was shattered. The sound rang across Mahora like breaking glass.
"First barrier is down!"
"Second barrier is holding!"
"Everyone, brace yourselves!"
The defenders tightened their formation. Mages raised shields. Church crosses glowed brighter. Kansai talismans burned blue-white in the wind. TSAB magic circles lit the sky as Nanoha, Fate, and Hayate moved to intercept the larger enemies.
Noah landed near the base of the World Tree, breathing hard. Alisa landed at his right while Suzuka landed at his left. Olga stood behind them, with Reines and Gray positioning themselves at her side. Nanoha-chan, Fate-chan, and Hayate-chan floated above them.
Noah looked at everyone around him. He was not alone. He was not helpless. His family was around him, supporting one another. He raised his sword toward the incoming wave of Quantum Shadows.
"We hold them here."
"Obviously." Alisa grinned.
"Together." Suzuka nodded with determination.
"Leave the analysis to me. I'll cover the entire battlefield situation." Olga adjusted the battle map.
"Try to look impressive, Noah. I am watching closely." Reines smiled.
Gray nodded. "I'll make sure no one gets past this side."
"We'll protect the sky!" Nanoha-chan lifted Raising Heart.
Fate-chan gripped Bardiche. "No enemy shall reach the city."
Hayate-chan let out a confident grin. "Then let's go! FIGHT ON!"
"OHH!!!"
As the next wave descended, the little family took another step forward to protect their home.
—-------
The open field outside Meldiana Sanctuary's wards had become a battlefield before the enemy even arrived. The sanctuary itself was hidden behind overlapping defensive magic and carefully erected protection spells. Beyond those wards, the defenders had formed their lines across the wide grassland facing the gateport site.
Volunteer wizards and witches stood shoulder to shoulder with the Potter and Greengrass families, ready to defend the place they now considered home. Goblin warriors could also be seen among them, wearing proud goblin-made armor and carrying weapons forged by their own hands.
The sanctuary chiefs were maintaining the evacuation routes and bunker seals. Every child, elder, and non-combatant had already been moved deeper inside the shelters.
[Sanctuary front, this is Chaldea Command. Mahora breach has begun. Confirmed enemy emergence above the city.] The Chaldea communication channel opened.
Several defenders stiffened. Charlus Potter's grip tightened around his wand, but his eyes remained sharp. Damien Greengrass looked toward the sky with a cold expression. Director Ragnok's teeth showed in something that was almost a smile.
[Gateport breach point is estimated to rupture in one minute and forty-five seconds. Repeat, dimensional rupture at Gateport estimated in one minute and forty-five seconds.] The Chaldea staff reported. [All defenders, prepare for engagement. Primary objective: prevent hostile entities from reaching Meldiana Sanctuary. Secondary objective: do not allow the Quantum Shadows to enter civilian areas.]
"So the Mahora battle has begun." Himeko stood near the front and adjusted her gloves.
Welt stood beside her, holding his cane tightly. "As expected. The World Tree was too valuable a target to ignore."
"Then just like in Mahora, we hold the line until Noah and the others finish their fight against Dormammu," Dan Heng added, holding Cloud-Piercer at his side.
One of the volunteer wizards swallowed hard. "That sounds… simple."
The goblin warrior beside him grunted. "Simple does not mean easy."
Director Ragnok stepped forward, his eyes sharp despite the grin on his lips.
"This battle shall decide whether our world will have a tomorrow," he said, his voice carrying across the line. "So fight as if your life is on the line, because it is!"
"Yes, Director!" the goblins answered as one.
"Listen, you lot," Charlus Potter said, looking over the gathered wizards and witches. "We don't need you to play hero or chase glory. What we need from all of you is resilience. The will to stand against impossible odds and not break."
Damien Greengrass stepped beside him and continued. "Our task is to survive as long as possible. Control the flow of battle. Halt their movements. Delay them for as long as we can. Every second counts. The more time we buy, the more it matters for those fighting outside the world."
Damien turned to the right flank, where his family's combatants waited with polished wands and grim expressions.
"Yes, sir!!"
The defenders nodded nervously, but the determination in their eyes never dimmed.
Then Chaldea's operation voice returned. [Time remaining until the barrier opens: one minute.]
The sky above trembled. Slowly, dark purple cracks began to appear in the afternoon sky. Everyone on the ground felt the atmosphere change around them. The wind, grass, clouds, and trees seemed to bend under the pressure, forcing several magical defenders to take a step back.
Himeko noticed it immediately.
"The people behind those wards are depending on this line. We do not need to defeat the entire invasion alone. We only need to make sure the enemies do not reach them."
[Thirty seconds.] The Chaldea operator's voice came again.
The thin lines in the sky widened with every passing second. Black-purple light leaked through them. The pressure became unbearable.
The sky looked like it was screaming.
Himeko raised her drone case. Welt tapped his cane once against the ground. Dan Heng twirled Cloud-Piercer. The mages, wizards, and witches raised their wands, staves, or artifacts. Goblin warriors drew their weapons.
[Ten… Nine…]
The crack stretched wider, and something moved behind it.
[Eight… Seven…]
Lance-like limbs pierced through the broken sky. Then another. Then another.
[Six… Five…]
Himeko's expression did not change. Welt's eyes narrowed, and Dan Heng exhaled once.
[Four… Three…]
Everyone drew in one deep breath, then released it together, calming their nerves as best they could.
[Two… One…]
Then, the first Quantum Shadow forced its way through as the sky finally tore open.
Quantum Shadows poured out, crashing toward the open field in a tide of black-purple bodies. Everyone watched as the invasion descended.
Then Himeko smiled with the calm confidence of someone who had crossed too many worlds to be frightened by the first wave of darkness.
"On behalf of Noah, let me say this..." she said, looking across the field and meeting the eyes of the volunteers, the alliance reinforcements, and the goblin warriors. "May the Force be with you all."
The defenders did not know why, but at that moment, they felt strangely light. Confidence filled them.
Charlus grinned and raised his wand. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
"OHHHHH!!!!"
Along with that shout, the defenders of Meldiana Sanctuary met the invasion head-on.
====== Chapter 222 END ======