An Excited Gabriel

Erica's face took on a determined expression. The Prometheus' Grimoire could steal the powers of gods, giving a mortal a chance to slay a god. She would never back down; she would bet everything she had to defeat a Heretic God.

Arianna, her maid, couldn't help but feel curious about what had caused such a shift in her mistress's expressions in such a short time.

[Chika Fujiwara: Such resolve! No wonder you're known as the 'Red Devil'—that's seriously impressive.]

[Fallen Angel Black Cat: Is this what it means to be a big shot? Everyone here is thinking about slaying gods, and I'm just a rookie in a group full of giants! Hiding in a corner.jpg]

[Asuna: Erica, good luck! We're all rooting for you to become the next big shot in the chat group.]

[Arche Eeb Rile Furt: Waiting for the next big shot in the chat group.]

[Arifureta (Group Leader): Waiting for the next big shot in the chat group.]

[Fallen Angel Black Cat: Waiting for the next big shot in the chat group.]

[Ashen Witch: Waiting for the next big shot in the chat group.]

[Lala: Waiting for the next big shot in the chat group.]

[...]

[Red Devil: Thank you all for your encouragement. I'll do my best. Touched.jpg]

[Kashiwagi Eri: Don't worry, Erica. I'll help you out. I promise you won't suffer any harm when you fight the Heretic God.]

[Chika Fujiwara: Well, since Eriri has spoken, that Heretic God is already doomed. Let's congratulate Erica on becoming a Campione in advance.]

[Flower Hashira: Congratulations!]

[Asuna: Congratulations!]

[Archangel Gabriel: Congratulations!]

[Iron-Blooded Hot-Blooded Cold-Blooded Vampire: Congratulations!]

[Ashen Witch: Envious!]

[Chika Fujiwara: Envious!]

[Chika Fujiwara: Wait, why are we getting off track?]

[Red Devil: Thank you very much! But won't that be too much trouble for you? Grateful.jpg]

[Kashiwagi Eri: Of course not. It's just a small thing.]

[Red Devil: Since you'll be helping, I should be the one to pay for the Cross-Boundary Talisman to bring you over. Unfortunately, I don't have enough points right now, so I'll see what I can sell in the chat group to cover it.]

Although Erica suspected that a Eighth Level powerhouse could travel between universes on their own, just to be safe, she brought up the Cross-Boundary Talisman.

As she expected, Eriri's response didn't disappoint.

[Kashiwagi Eri: No need to buy it. I can open a world portal myself, so we don't need the talisman.]

[Flower Hashira: ???]

[Chika Fujiwara: What's going on? Eriri, since when could you open world portals? Didn't you have to save up points to buy the talisman when you went to Yue-chan's world a few days ago?]

[Asuna: Terrifying!]

[Kashiwagi Eri: Once you understand the principle behind the Cross-Boundary Talisman, it's easy to learn how to open portals yourself.]

[Chika Fujiwara: Oh. Blank expression.jpg]

[Asuna: Oh. Blank expression.jpg]

[Ashen Witch: Oh. Blank expression.jpg]

[Fallen Angel Black Cat: Breaking the cycle—so this is what it means to be Eighth Level… Big shot, please take me under your wing. Puppy eyes.jpg]

[Kashiwagi Eri: We'll see about that. Pat pat.]

[Flower Hashira: Eriri, does that mean you can come to my world anytime now?]

[Kashiwagi Eri: That's right, I can.]

[Flower Hashira: When are you coming? I've been waiting for you for a long time.]

[Kashiwagi Eri: Um… How about I come over in a few days?]

[Flower Hashira: Sure thing.]

[Archangel Gabriel: Eriri, I need you now! Hurry and take me to Asuna's world! I want to play that Full Dive game called SAO.]

[Kashiwagi Eri: Are you serious? You're really going to skip school to play games?]

[Archangel Gabriel: School is nowhere near as important as gaming. I want to go to Asuna's world to play.]

[Arifureta (Group Leader): Ah, this…]

[Asuna: You really want to come over? The game doesn't launch until tomorrow.]

[Archangel Gabriel: That's fine. Actually, it's perfect timing. I can go buy the NerveGear today so I can log in right when it launches.]

[Lala: Huh? A Full Dive game? I want to research it too! Maybe I can recreate the game in my world.]

Seeing Lala's message, Eriri felt tempted as well. If Lala managed to recreate SAO in the Saekano world, she wouldn't have to travel to Asuna's world to play.

[Kashiwagi Eri: Now that you mention it, I'm tempted too. All right, Gabriel, I'll come over to your place later, and we'll head to Asuna's world together.]

[Archangel Gabriel: Yay!]

[Kashiwagi Eri: And Lala, after I go to Asuna's world, I'll buy a few extra NerveGear headsets, and tomorrow I'll take you over there to study the game. After that, we can recreate SAO in my world. How does that sound? You can even stay in my world if you want, and I can send you back home whenever you feel like it.]

[Lala: That sounds perfect! Actually, we were already planning to run away to another universe.]

[Arifureta (Group Leader): Looks like the number of people at home is going to increase again…]

[Flower Hashira: ...]

Gabriel, who was having lunch with friends in the school cafeteria, was so excited by Eriri's message that she jumped up from her seat.

Then, under the puzzled gazes of her friends, she quickly finished the food in front of her.

A gentle girl with short purple hair and matching eyes, sitting next to Gabriel, softly said, "Gabriel, slow down. Don't choke."

"Vignette, I'm going to another world for a while. Please help me take a few days off."

Gabriel put down her disposable chopsticks and hurriedly spoke to Vignette before rushing out of the cafeteria, eager to head back to her classroom.

"Huh? Another world? Gabriel, what are you talking about? Skipping school is not okay…"

Ignoring Vignette's nagging, Gabriel returned to her classroom, grabbed her bag, and then went to a secluded spot. There, she revealed her true angel form, clasped her hands together in a prayer-like gesture, and softly whispered:

"Divine Step!"

Perhaps because she was highly motivated and wasn't going to a place she dreaded, unlike in the original story where her use of Divine Step failed when trying to go to school, this time, Gabriel successfully teleported without incident.

A flash of light enveloped her, and in the blink of an eye, Gabriel vanished from the high school, reappearing seamlessly in her rented apartment.