"That makes sense," the Campione Su Mo nodded. "After all, time here is disconnected from our respective worlds. No matter how long someone stays, it won't affect what's happening outside. Having someone stationed here at all times is a solid idea."
"Besides avoiding issues with newcomers, it would also prevent delays in sharing abilities."
He was fully on board with the idea. After all, sharing abilities required being physically present in the Misty Space and connecting with the others. When he'd met new Su Mo variants before, he could only exchange powers he already had with theirs. If the others had updated techniques—like the Execution of Light—he had to wait until they arrived to share those new abilities.
That naturally introduced delays.
If someone was always stationed here, every Su Mo arriving could instantly get access to the latest abilities. It would streamline everything.
Hearing the Campione Su Mo's reasoning, the others quickly saw the value in the proposal.
"I agree!"
"Great idea!"
The proposal was swiftly passed.
"So… who's staying behind this time?" the Campione Su Mo asked.
"I don't mind," he added. "I'll be sticking around to wait for the summoning and descent magic from the Type-Moon world anyway. Compared to the Third Magic or [Light of the Right], those are my current priorities."
The thought of possibly gathering hundreds of divine Authorities, as the Index Su Mo had speculated, had fired him up. Summoning magic was now his number-one goal.
"I won't be available—I need to return and level up," the DanMachi Su Mo shook his head. He had just earned the massive experience reward for defeating the heretic god Perseus. If he waited too long, the effect might stack with other versions' experiences and be wasted.
"Next time, I'll do it."
"I have to return for the Holy Grail War," the Type-Moon Su Mo added. Both the Third Magic and spirit summoning rituals required his presence.
Seeing that the others were tied up, the One Piece Su Mo stepped forward.
"You all have your missions, so of course your priorities come first. I've got nothing urgent right now. I'll take this shift."
Among all the Su Mo variants, his schedule was the freest. So he had no issue staying behind and holding down the fort in the Misty Space. It wasn't a tough job anyway.
"Then I'll leave it to you!"
The other Su Mos nodded in agreement.
With their discussion concluded, the DanMachi, Index, and Type-Moon versions of Su Mo said their goodbyes and departed the Misty Space.
Only the Su Mo from the Campione world and the Su Mo from the One Piece world remained behind. As they waited, the two of them chatted casually.
"So, where are things at in your world now?" asked the Campione Su Mo, turning to his One Piece counterpart.
"I've already used your swordsmanship and Haki techniques. By now, you should basically be at the pinnacle of the One Piece world, even among the Marine Admirals, you should be considered one of the strongest, right?"
The swordsmanship capable of fighting heretic gods had left quite the impression on the Campione Su Mo. And according to the knowledge in his mind, the One Piece version of himself hadn't just reached the level of a great swordmaster; his physical combat abilities and mastery over Haki had also reached the level of a grandmaster. He was practically a monster without weaknesses—well-rounded and formidable in every aspect.
Of course, his strength still didn't reach the level of a heretic god, but defeating most divine beasts would be no trouble at all. Even if he were placed in the Campione world, he'd easily be on par with Divine Ancestors, divine beasts, or even Paladins.
To grow from an ordinary person without any cheat ability to this level… honestly, the Campione Su Mo found it even more impressive than his own journey.
Hearing the question, the Marine Admiral Su Mo thought for a moment before answering. "In my world, it's been over a decade since the Pirate King was executed. The Four Emperors have begun to establish their dominance over the New World. On our end, the Marines are in the process of selecting the Shichibukai."
The Campione Su Mo nodded thoughtfully after hearing this. Then, the corners of his mouth curled into a mischievous smile. "At your current level, you should basically be invincible in the One Piece world. With that kind of power… aren't you even a little tempted to stir things up?"
Whether it was Poseidon, Uranus, or Pluton, even those ancient weapons wouldn't be a match for the Su Mo standing before him now. In such a scenario, to continue playing it safe as a Marine didn't quite align with Su Mo's nature.
So, the Campione Su Mo immediately began egging on his Marine Admiral counterpart, trying to get him to cause some chaos.
In response, the Marine Admiral Su Mo revealed a sly grin. "Did you think just because I didn't have a cheat, I wouldn't cause trouble?"
They were all Su Mo after all—at heart, they were the same. Even without a golden finger, he wasn't some lazy desk jockey like Kizaru.
"From the very beginning, I used my damn charm to win over Dragon. And I've been laying the groundwork for years now. I originally planned to wait until Luffy set sail and use him to ignite the powder keg of revolution across the world."
"But now, it seems… I don't need to wait for any perfect timing."
"Because now—I am the timing!"
His words were full of dominance and certainty. The Campione Su Mo immediately understood his intent.
"So, your plan was to plant red flags all over the world? Not bad at all. As expected of me!"
Slapping his thigh in excitement, he grew even more curious and began pressing the Marine Admiral Su Mo for more details about his exploits.
…
…
Back in the Misty Space, as the Campione Su Mo listened to the story with great interest—
In the Type-Moon world, in the far eastern island nation, in the city of Fuyuki—
The Su Mo who had left the Misty Space slowly opened his eyes. What greeted him was a sky filled with falling snow.
It was currently winter.
He was sitting on a park bench, wrapped in a fur-lined coat. Just as he was about to get up after admiring the snowy scene, a familiar presence approached him from behind. Then—
Smack!
A warm cup of coffee was pressed against his face.
"Master, you need to keep yourself warm!" came the concerned voice of a cute girl, smiling sweetly as the ahoge atop her head swayed gently.
"You humans aren't as resilient as Servants. If you catch a cold, it'll be really miserable!"
It was obvious the girl cared deeply about Su Mo. After all, he was the Master who had summoned her for the Holy Grail War. Though he was still a teenager, she found him endearing—and more importantly, he hadn't looked down on her at all. Naturally, she had a great deal of affection for him.
"Thanks, Okita."
Su Mo nodded and accepted the warm cup of coffee. With his previous body's constitution, weather like this wouldn't make him sick, but he'd still feel the cold. That was likely why she had thoughtfully brought him a hot drink.
However, now… he no longer needed such things.
Thanks to the fusion and stacking of countless physical enhancements, he was completely immune to heat and cold. Even if he were stark naked in the middle of the North or South Pole, he could still move about freely without any discomfort.
Still, since it was a kind gesture from the girl, he wouldn't turn it down.
Hearing his thanks, the slender girl smiled happily. But she couldn't help but correct him gently. "Master, even though the Holy Grail War hasn't officially begun, we can't afford to let our guard down, okay?"
"Calling me by name makes me happy, of course, but when we're in public, it's better to use 'Saber.'"
Taking her advice to heart, Su Mo nodded with a wry smile. "You're right. That was my oversight. I'll be more careful—Saber."
The girl sitting before him—slim, adorable, and brimming with warmth—was none other than the Servant he had summoned before arriving in the Misty Space: the famed swordswoman from the end of the Edo period and captain of the Shinsengumi's First Division—Okita Souji.
To Su Mo back then, summoning someone like Okita—an absolute genius with a sword—was a great outcome.
As a master of the Tennen Rishin-ryu school, Okita's swordsmanship was nothing short of extraordinary. Her skill had reached a level where it could be considered a Noble Phantasm in itself. At the time, Su Mo merely wanted a teacher. Swordsmanship was a skill he found genuinely useful. And Okita had an easygoing personality, never once judging him for lacking the ambition to seize the Holy Grail.
But to the current Su Mo, victory no longer required the power of a Servant.
When it came to Servants… being cute was enough.
And in that regard, Okita checked all the boxes.
After all, isn't it a known truth among transmigrators that the Master is supposed to be stronger than the Servant?