Although Storm Border had been unsealed, restarted, and returned to normal operation, the radar and detection systems could confirm only one thing: the entire ship was currently within the Sea of Spiritrons. No further useful intelligence could be gathered from the surrounding environment.
In other words, the whole ship had performed a Rayshift. Its destination was the spiritron-based fictional city inside the Moon: SE.RA.PH.
Storm Border now rested at the edge of that city, suspended over the void yet seemingly drifting in a sea of spiritrons, as if docked at port.
After stepping off the ship, Shiomi and the others were all stunned by the strange scenery of SE.RA.PH.
Compared to the counterfeit SE.RA.PH formed from the sunken Seraphix, the true spiritron fictional city possessed an incomparable grandeur and Mystery.
"This is SE.RA.PH, short for Serial Phantasm, the Third Imaginary World. It's the 'Lunar-Circling City Engine' created by Mooncell, which expanded to enormous scale over countless years in order to operate itself."
Walking at the front, BB gave a brief introduction to everyone entering SE.RA.PH.
"In other words, it's Mooncell's additional engine, added records, and added layers."
As she said this, BB turned around and began walking backward.
"From bacteria to humans, life memories numbering in the trillions or even quadrillions are all stored within SE.RA.PH."
"So this is basically a computer world?" Shiomi asked.
"It is a computer world," BB replied with a proud expression. "But compared to the supercomputers or organic networks developed by human civilization on Earth, it exists on an entirely different dimension."
"A normal computer world would exhaust its resources and crash just trying to reproduce a single Heroic Spirit. But the spiritron world can allow more than a hundred Heroic Spirits to exist at once."
At that moment, Morgan spoke a single phrase.
"The Moon Holy Grail War. I remember you saying it was a massive Holy Grail War where 128 Servants and 128 Masters fought one another."
"That's right. But please don't worry. SE.RA.PH currently has no plans to host such an event. Earth's Greater Source has not yet vanished, and both the human world and Human Order are developing toward a future filled with limitless possibilities. There is no need for an unrestricted Holy Grail to save them."
That was also why Mooncell continued to observe Earth while keeping its gates closed to humanity.
Perhaps one day, humanity on Earth would discover Mooncell on its own. When that time came, the path to SE.RA.PH inside would naturally open.
Rather than like now, where under special circumstances it only allowed special guests limited access.
"I don't know what the rest of you are seeing, but all I can see is endless light. It's not quite blinding yet..." Touko said at that moment, glancing back at the warship in the harbor.
She was wondering if she should simply give up her qualification and return to the ship.
"After all, you entered here as a human. Unlike the others, who possess perspectives beyond humanity, you can't properly interpret the information here."
BB nodded.
At that moment, Shiomi extended his hand toward Touko.
Only then did Touko notice that Olga Marie had been holding Shiomi's hand the whole time.
Once Touko grasped Shiomi's hand, everything in her field of vision changed.
Shared vision.
Through the connection of Magic Circuits, what Shiomi saw overlaid their own vision, allowing them to perceive the information here from a higher-dimensional perspective.
"No wonder you specifically called for Master and the others," Olga Marie said. "But why can human Magi like Ms. Touko and myself also—"
"As I mentioned earlier, you are the last descendant of Animusphere."
BB's gaze grew deep.
"According to Mooncell's calculations, if everything ends smoothly, Animusphere will end with your generation."
"..."
Olga Marie fell silent.
She more or less understood what BB meant.
If she continued following her teacher and became a special human with eternal life, there would no longer be any need or desire to have children.
From a personal perspective, that was certainly something to be happy about.
However, Animusphere would probably dissolve even more thoroughly than El-Melloi.
She needed a little time to process that foreseeable future.
"What about me?" Touko asked, her eyes filled with amusement.
Looking at the candidate chosen to accompany Shiomi to Mooncell's core, it was hard not to suspect that the selection criteria involved whether someone had a physical relationship with him.
"As a Grand Puppeteer who has grasped part of the mysteries of the soul, Mooncell sees you as someone it may invite in the future," BB said. "If humanity ever reaches this place, Mooncell would ask for your assistance in operating it."
Touko's amused expression quickly turned into helpless resignation.
"So in the end, it's because I'm excellent potential labor?"
"If you don't want to get involved, you can just refuse when the time comes," Shiomi said with a smile. "Besides, you love wandering the world. If someday you could step beyond the planet under your own name, that wouldn't be a bad thing."
"I'll think about it."
Touko was pleased that Shiomi understood how she felt.
The others also responded with gentle expressions. Meanwhile, BB turned around and resumed leading the way.
"We've drifted a little off topic," Morgan said. "What exactly is this central region Mooncell allowed my husband to enter and intends to host him in?"
"That is Mooncell's true core, and also Mooncell's main body," BB replied. "As I mentioned earlier, SE.RA.PH is only an additional structure Mooncell created for its development."
"Since it hasn't officially begun operation yet and hasn't created more higher-level AIs, it's essentially an empty city."
"No wonder it feels so quiet," Artoria said in realization. "It's just like my Holy City."
"If I ever get tired of living on Earth, could I move my family here?" Shiomi joked.
BB suddenly stopped walking.
"It's possible," she said. "But even as a god, if Father made that choice, it would mean becoming the de facto administrator of Mooncell."
"In my opinion, that would be an even greater responsibility than saving the world right now."
Her voice was unusually calm and rational, clearly warning him about the seriousness of the matter.
"Sorry. Looks like I was taking things too lightly."
Shiomi shook his head helplessly and quickly changed the subject.
"Though now that I think about it, it's a bit of a shame. I should've asked Sakura and the others if they could come too."
"If you're talking about them," BB said as she resumed walking forward, revealing something rather astonishing, "they're currently synced with my vision through VR."