If you think Arthur's days were just a simple and straightforward summary of sex with the three of them—White, 2B, and A2—then you are completely mistaken.
Of course, that did happen, with the intensity of a hormonal hurricane involving three women who definitely did not know the meaning of the word "moderation," but that was only a detail.
Most of Arthur's time was consumed by something far more serious.
He needed to find a way—any way—to recharge that damn dimensional bracelet. Without enough magical energy, he was still stuck there, in that world, indefinitely.
As vast as his total magical energy was, it didn't even reach 40% of what the bracelet required.
And although the distractions that world offered were pleasant (and dangerously addictive), he still needed to go back home at some point.
So Arthur spent hours immersed in his research. Nothing worked. Nothing even came close to generating the amount of mana he needed. And the more he tried, the more his frustration grew.
But there was one constant in his routine: the system's daily login.
He never missed it. Never.
Even though the system only gave him garbage.
Random mechanical parts, useless gears, YoRHa maintenance tools, burnt-out processors, power cables with no practical use, an illegible technical manual for a model that didn't even exist anymore…
And the best part: parts he had already seen inside the drawers of the Bunker's own maintenance lab.
It was as if the system was mocking him.
With each login, Arthur would just sigh, grab the new item, toss it onto the growing pile of useless junk, and move on with his life—more irritated, more tired, and more convinced that the system wanted to see him suffer.
---
Arthur was sitting in the center of the lab, legs crossed, back straight, trying to breathe deeply as if he were about to achieve enlightenment.
The truth? He was just trying not to have a nervous breakdown.
On the other side of the lab, White, 2B, and A2 were quietly talking about something. "Quietly" only in a relative sense—for them it was discreet; for Arthur, it sounded clearly like:
"Do you think he'd pass out if we…?"
"A2, please don't give ideas."
"White, you clearly want to test that."
"I don't want anything!"
"Yeah, sure. Keep telling yourself that."
It was obvious they were talking about him. It was always about him.
But Arthur simply ignored it. He had bigger problems right now.
He sighed, completely defeated, and raised his wrist with the bracelet.
The light that should have been shining brightly was gone.
A depressing sight.
"I guess it won't be today either…" he muttered, massaging his forehead.
With no other option, he opened the translucent panel of the system interface again.
There it was, glowing:
[DAILY LOGIN AVAILABLE]
It was sad to admit, but at that point he only logged in out of habit… and because of a tiny, stubborn bit of hope still inside him.
Even though, honestly, he was already expecting something ridiculous like:
"Congratulations! You received: Rusty Screw (x1)."
With zero expectations, Arthur tapped the button.
[Login successful]
[Congratulations on acquiring: MAGIC ENHANCEMENT FRUIT]
[Consuming this fruit triples the user's total magical energy reserves.]
Arthur blinked.
He read it three times just to make sure he wasn't hallucinating from physical exhaustion or sleep deprivation.
A fruit capable of increasing his magical reserves.
"What a terrible script…" he muttered, looking up as if addressing some unseen writer.
He picked up the fruit, frowning.
On the other side of the lab, White noticed his expression and raised an eyebrow.
"He looks like he just discovered something important," she murmured.
"Or like someone who finally gave up on life," A2 suggested.
"No. That's his excited face—and that worries me," 2B added.
Arthur didn't even hear them. He stared at the fruit as if he were holding a solid piece of the future.
It was small and emitted a soft glow.
Its skin shimmered in a mix of blue and gold.
This reminds me of one of those Devil Fruits from One Piece… he thought, raising an eyebrow as he examined it.
"Alright… let's see what you can do."
Across the lab, the three immediately stopped talking when they realized Arthur was about to do something.
White tilted her head.
2B watched him curiously.
A2 narrowed her eyes with a "if this explodes, I'm laughing" look.
Arthur brought the fruit to his mouth and took a bite.
The effect was instant.
His magical reserves exploded like a radiant storm.
FOOM!
A red wave swept across the entire lab, sending papers, tools, and the girls' hair flying backward.
2B instinctively held her skirt down.
White's eyes widened.
A2's widened too, though she tried—and failed—to hide it.
Arthur took a deep breath and clearly felt his reserves expanding and filling.
Then, slowly, he looked at his wrist.
The dimensional bracelet, once dark and lifeless, began to glow as it absorbed his magical energy.
First a point.
Then a line.
And finally, the circle was complete.
It lit up in an intense blue, and the "functional" symbol appeared like a luminous halo.
White stepped forward.
"That means…"
"Exactly…" Arthur replied with a sideways smile. "Now I can activate it."
2B's eyes widened as she murmured:
"So you can go back home."
A2 turned her face away, crossing her arms tightly.
White remained silent for a few seconds. Her expression was a mix of relief, sadness, and pride.
Arthur took a deep breath and tried to activate the bracelet.
[BRACELET 100% RECHARGED]
[RETURN MODULE EXECUTION AVAILABLE]
Everything had worked.
Arthur raised his arm, observing the bracelet's glow as if it were a crown.
"I did it. Finally."
A heavy silence filled the room.
Then 2B, unable to hold back, murmured:
"That means… you… really can leave…"
Arthur looked at them—all three of them—and smiled, this time gently.
"It means I can leave.
But it doesn't mean I will leave now."
The surprise was unanimous.
"I still have time before I use it. I still have things to do here."
"And honestly…" he looked at the three of them, a mischievous and confident glint in his eyes. "Do you really think I would leave without saying goodbye properly?"
2B blushed.
A2 coughed, pretending she didn't understand.
White simply smiled—a calm smile that said I expected this.
Arthur finally stood up, his expression filled with complete confidence.
"Now that this damn bracelet works, I'm free to leave whenever I want. But for now… I want to enjoy this time with you."
White took two steps forward, held his hand, and said:
"Then… we'll stay with you until the end."
Arthur held her hand back.
"Until I decide to leave," he corrected with a teasing wink.
A2 scoffed.
"Arrogant idiot…"
2B smiled, her eyes shining.
White simply stepped closer, not letting go of his hand.
Everything had worked.
And because of that, something far better was about to begin.
---
A long time passed after that.
Months, perhaps long enough for the ruins to begin looking less like scars from a dark past and more like fertile ground for the future. The world had become… quiet. But not a dead silence—a living silence. A silence of renewal.
And now… the day to leave had arrived.
I knew it would come.
They knew it.
Everyone knew.
And yet, no one was truly ready.
I gathered all the androids in a wide open space. It felt strange to see so many faces turned toward me now. Different models, older series, support units, combat units, exploration units… all standing side by side, waiting for my words.
"Androids…" I began, my voice firm. "For the first time since you were created, the world is at peace. Not because of orders. Not because of a higher command. But because you fought—and survived."
"From today onward," I continued, "you no longer need to fight. You no longer need to obey. You no longer need to carry the burden of war. You no longer need to die. You are free. Free to exist, to live, and to build something new."
"And before I leave… there are a few things I need to say."
I turned to two figures standing slightly hidden in the crowd: Devola and Popola.
Both of them stiffened immediately.
"Devola. Popola," I called.
They approached slowly, as if already expecting some kind of posthumous punishment.
I smiled.
"As I told you a long time ago, you are both already forgiven. Completely. And the guilt program implanted in you has been entirely removed, just as I promised."
Popola let out a sob.
Devola's eyes widened, then she frowned as if she didn't know how to feel.
"You don't need to carry any of that anymore. You owe nothing to anyone. And this world owes nothing to you. Now… you just need to live."
But I wasn't finished.
"And one more thing. Thanks to the Healer units…" I turned to them, and they waved proudly, "all of you now have the option to obtain human bodies."
A collective gasp spread through the air.
"You can feel."
"You can grow."
"You can create life."
"And you can continue humanity's legacy on this planet—not as replacements, but as its successors."
Silence lingered for a few seconds—then it burst into joy.
I smiled, knowing that this would be one of the last things I would witness in this world.
---
(End of Chapter)