[BL] I Didn't Sign Up For This Chapter 121: In Which The World Has Problems

"Multiple situations, actually."

The room went very still.

I looked at Azryth, his hand tightened on my waist, and I saw the sa grim understanding in his expression that I felt settling in my chest.

Of course there were multiple situations, because one dinsional crisis per week would be too reasonable.

"How many situations?" I asked, though I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer.

Director Sato took a breath on the other end of the line. "In the past three hours, we’ve received reports from coalition cells across the globe. Gates are appearing, similar to what manifested in Switzerland. Different locations, different configurations, but the sa fundantal structure."

My stomach dropped.

"How many?" Azryth asked.

"Seven confird so far," Sato said. "Tokyo, Seoul, Cairo, London, Sydney, São Paulo, and xico City. Each one causing localized dinsional instability, reality distortions, civilians developing perception abilities, energy readings off the scale."

Seven gates.

I reached through the binding imdiately.

*Seven gates. We thought one fragnt escaped Switzerland.*

*I know,* Azryth’s ntal voice ca back. *Either seven fragnts or sothing worse.*

That was what I’d been afraid of.

"When did they appear?" Azryth asked aloud.

"Within hours of the Switzerland gate collapsing," Sato said. "First reports ca in approximately two hours after your exit, all seven manifested within a six-hour window."

After we’d closed Switzerland, after the fragnt had supposedly escaped.

Now there were seven gates and we had no idea what that ant.

"What’s the coalition doing?" Azryth asked.

"We’re doing everything we can," Sato said, strain clear in his voice. "We’ve established periters around each gate, evacuated civilians from affected areas, deployed monitoring equipnt. But we can’t handle the gates themselves."

"You can’t enter them," I said.

"Correct. We’ve lost three coalition mbers in Tokyo who attempted to approach the gate. They couldn’t get within ten ters before the dinsional pressure forced them back. One suffered severe disorientation and is still in dical care."

I sat up straighter. "Coalition mbers can’t get close at all?"

"No. The energy actively repels anyone who approaches."

"But our team entered Switzerland," Azryth said. "Why were they able to?"

"We believe it’s because of your combined presence," Sato said. "The warden and demon power seems to counteract the rejection effect. Our working theory is that the gates recognize your energy signatures as compatible. Everyone else gets repelled."

So we weren’t just the only ones who could survive inside the gates, we were the only ones who could enter them at all.

Fantastic.

"Each gate is different," Sato continued. "Different materials, different patterns, different energy signatures. But they all share that fundantal wrongness, and they’re causing escalating local problems."

"How severe?" Azryth asked.

"Tokyo has sixty-two people with new dinsional perception as of fifteen minutes ago. Cairo is experiencing visible reality fractures in a two-block radius. London’s gate pulses with energy bursts that knock out electronics. São Paulo has buildings phasing in and out of visibility."

I closed my eyes briefly.

Seven crises, seven cities, seven impossible situations that only we could handle.

The coalition’s entire purpose was protecting ordinary people from supernatural threats. That was literally what they were founded for, and now they were failing across seven locations simultaneously because they physically couldn’t enter the gates.

Everything fell on us.

Again.

"Director Sato," I said carefully. "What exactly are you asking?"

"I’m asking for your help," Sato said, his voice quieter now, more personal. "Not as a coalition director making demands. As soone who knows what I’m asking is extraordinary and unfair."

Azryth’s hand moved from my waist to rest against my back.

"The coalition owes you both more than we can repay," Sato continued. "You closed the rifts when we couldn’t, you sealed the nexus when we didn’t have the power, you stopped Switzerland from collapsing. You’ve done our job better than we could, and now I’m asking you to do it seven more tis."

"You’re asking us to enter seven dinsional gates, navigate whatever’s inside, and survive it repeatedly while exhausted and injured," I said.

"...Yes. I understand what that ans, I understand you barely survived Switzerland. You have every right to refuse, but you can enter these gates, the coalition physically cannot. And if we don’t stop them, seven cities will collapse."

*What do you think?* I asked Azryth through the binding.

*We don’t have much choice. If there are fragnts inside those gates, we need to contain them before reality destabilizes further.*

He was right, we both knew it.

I looked around the room. Mara was frowning at her scanner. Henrik was reviewing data. Ryota was listening with tactical focus.

Void made a pleased sound and offered chocolate.

"What support can you provide?" Azryth asked.

"Anything the coalition has," Sato said imdiately. "Resources, personnel, equipnt. Transportation to each location, local support teams, dical facilities on standby. Full access to coalition intelligence and monitoring. Whatever you need."

"We could assign experienced personnel to accompany you," he added. "Combat specialists."

I thought about that for three seconds.

"No need for that."

"...May I ask why?"

"Because dinsional combat gets people killed if they’re not prepared," I said bluntly. "We work well as a team, we know how each other moves, how each other fights. Adding specialists who’ve never faced what we face? They’ll just die unnecessarily."

"I understand," Sato said. "Then we provide support from outside, transportation, intelligence, resources."

"You ntioned a debt," Azryth said.

"Yes, the coalition’s debt to you is permanent," Sato said. "This is a promise from coalition leadership, on record, witnessed by every cell director listening to this call. Any favor, any request, any assistance you need in the future, you have it. No questions, no conditions. The coalition will not forget what you’re doing."

I blinked. "Every cell director is listening?"

"Yes. I conferenced them in when I realized the scope of what I was asking. They all agreed."

The entire coalition on record, promising permanent support.

That was actually significant.

I looked at Azryth. He gave a small nod.

"Give us five minutes to discuss," I said.

"Of course." The line went quiet but stayed connected.

I looked at everyone.

"So," Mara said slowly. "Seven gates just appeared across the world after we closed Switzerland. What does that an?"

"We’re not sure," I said. "In Switzerland, we thought the fragnt escaped when we pulled the sword, but now there are seven gates?"

"Could there be seven fragnts? Or eight?" Henrik asked, looking between and Azryth.

"Possibly," Azryth said. "Or one fragnt manifesting multiple prison dinsions, the energy signatures are similar but each gate is unique."

"Either option is terrible," Mara muttered.

"Agreed," Henrik said.

"We can’t do all seven imdiately," Mara added. "We’re exhausted, we need rest between each one or we’ll get ourselves killed."

"We prioritize based on urgency," Henrik said. "Escalation rates, civilian impact."

"Tokyo is escalating fastest," Ryota said. "Sixty-two affected civilians and rising. Coalition already lost people just trying to approach it."

"High danger," I pointed out.

"But also high priority," Mara countered. "If it’s escalating that fast, waiting makes it worse."

I looked at Azryth. "Your thoughts?"

"We can’t save everyone," he said quietly. "But we try, because no one else can."

Void made a questioning sound. "Mama worried?"

"A bit," I admitted. "But we’ll handle it."

I unmuted the phone. "Director Sato?"

"I’m here."

"We’ll help. But we do this our way, we pick targets, we set the tiline, we decide when we’re ready. No rushing. Understood?"

"Completely," Sato said, genuine relief in his voice. "Thank you. The coalition is in your debt."

"Send us everything you have on each location," Azryth said. "Energy readings, gate configurations, situation assessnts."

"Transmitting to Ryota now," Sato confird. "Transportation standing by whenever you’re ready."

"We rest tonight," I said. "Review data tomorrow and pick our first target when we’re not half-dead."

"Understood. Thank you. All of you." Sato paused. "The world owes you more than it knows."

"Let’s hope we survive long enough to collect."

The call ended.

Ryota’s tablet imdiately started receiving files.

We sat in silence, processing what we’d just committed to.

Seven gates, unknown number of fragnts, seven impossible missions.

"Well," I said finally. "At least we’ll see the world."

"That’s your takeaway?" Mara asked.

"I’m being optimistic."

"It’s not working."

"I know."

Azryth’s hand found mine, fingers threading together. "One gate at a ti."

"One near-death experience at a ti," I corrected.

Void created a sparkle. "Adventure!"

"Your definition of adventure is deeply concerning," I told it.

Henrik was already reviewing incoming data. "Tokyo gate appeared in Shibuya. High population density, reality distortions extending four blocks. Sixty-two confird dinsional perception cases. Coalition periter established but civilian unrest growing."

"Cairo gate is near the pyramids," Mara read from her scanner. "Energy signatures are more volatile than Switzerland."

"London gate in Westminster," Ryota added. "Electronic interference across central London. Ergency services compromised."

Seven crises, seven gates, seven or eight fragnts or one very ambitious fragnt.

Either way, only we could handle it.

"We should rest," Azryth said quietly. "Tomorrow we plan."

"Agreed," Mara said, standing with visible effort. "Sleeping for twelve hours."

"Good plan," Henrik muttered.

They dispersed to their rooms, exhausted.

Ryota headed out with his phone, coordinating with coalition contacts.

That left and Azryth on the couch, Void creating lazy sparkles.

"Seven gates," I said quietly.

"Yes."

"We almost died in one."

"Yes."

"And we just agreed to seven more."

"We did."

I looked at him. "Are we insane?"

"Possibly." His hand cupped my face. "But if we don’t, who will?"

"Coalition could figure it out."

"They’d lose hundreds, three already down just approaching one gate."

"So we’re saving lives."

"We’re doing this because we can. And because those fragnts need containing."

I leaned into his touch. "When did you beco reasonable?"

"I’ve always been reasonable. You’re just too sarcastic to notice."

"True."

He kissed . Soft, grounding.

When he pulled back, tension had eased.

"Let’s sleep," he said.

"Okay..."

We didn’t move for a few more minutes, just sitting together, Void making pleased sounds, seven missions hanging over us.