Unlike the last time, when Charlie was alone in the Void Sanctuary after completing a Quest, this time when he regained awareness, he saw the other Saviors already seated in their respective chairs.

The room exuded a timeless, serene aura, but something was different this time.

(Hm? Only nine people?)

Charlie noticed an empty chair—number VII.

"Hey, we're missing someone! Where's Thomas? Did he die?"

Charlie's colleague from the Sword Art Online Planar World, Miguel, voiced a question that echoed the doubts of the other Saviors.

"Haaa… That's right. Thomas is dead." Elena sighed wearily, but there was no deep sadness in her tone, only exhaustion.

She, Wang Jian, and Thomas had taken on Quest 3 in the Planar World: 100 Kanojo. The outcome was far from ideal. Thomas, the occupant of chair number VII, didn't return.

"Gaia, Alaya, we failed to protect all the heroines, but we also managed to kill the Parasite-Type Abyssal Devourer in the end. So, is this Quest considered a success or a failure?"

Wang Jian asked the two cosmic entities, who resembled stunningly beautiful human women.

"Hmm… That Planar World is quite complex." Gaia rubbed her chin, appearing thoughtful, and gave an ambiguous response. "The number of heroines was indeed too many; protecting them all with just three people was somewhat unrealistic."

On the other hand, Alaya was more straightforward than Gaia:

"Although ten heroines were killed, Quest 3 is considered a success. The World's Will was slightly affected by the heroines' deaths, but it's not too significant and will recover over time."

"I see." Wang Jian nodded calmly, his expression unchanged, making it hard to guess his thoughts.

Meanwhile, Elena let out a relieved sigh, patting her chest. Compared to mourning Thomas, who was merely an acquaintance, she was more concerned about the possibility of missing out on rewards after completing the Quest.

"You know, in the previous cycle, the Savior death toll was much higher than this one!" Gaia said with a smile, though her words carried a hidden meaning. "This is a reminder for all of you to take the Quests seriously. If you're careless like Thomas, who treated the Planar World like a game, death is inevitable."

Her tone was cheerful, but the warning was clear.

"Every Planar World has its own dangers and rules. Even with your extraordinary powers, you're not invincible. A single mistake, a moment of carelessness, could mean the end of your existence. Never underestimate the challenges we give you. These worlds are alive, and their reactions to your presence can be highly unpredictable." Alaya added, her voice more serious.

Clearly, Gaia and Alaya's warnings were effective. The Saviors who hadn't taken the Quests seriously or had grown too comfortable with their powers now saw their perspectives shift drastically after witnessing the death of one of their own.

With Thomas's arrogant personality, no Savior particularly liked or disliked him. But now, knowing he had died—despite being accompanied by two powerful Saviors like Elena and Wang Jian—was a bitter reminder.

It was proof that even individuals of their caliber, capable of traversing worlds and facing threats, could die against an Abyssal Devourer during a Quest. Thomas's death was no longer just a statistic; it was a reality that struck at the hidden arrogance beneath their subconscious, casting a heavier silence over the Void Sanctuary.

*👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻*

Gaia clapped her hands, drawing the attention of the nine other Saviors lost in their thoughts. Her voice was cheerful but carried a firm undertone.

"Alright, let's end the mourning for Thomas. Remember: the dead have finished their battles; now it's the living's turn to continue the fight."

"…"

"I know none of you are grieving over Savior Number VII's death. So, let's start the reward session."

Not wanting the Saviors to linger in the Void Sanctuary, Alaya turned to Farah in chair number I.

"State your request."

Farah had already thought carefully about her desire. So, when Alaya asked, she answered immediately.

"Then, I request the EX-rank Riding skill of Mysterious Heroine X from the Planar World: Type-Moon."

Mysterious Heroine X could ride almost anything—from wild animals to modern vehicles, even bending a spaceship despite it lacking such a function. This showcased the incredible prowess of her Riding skill.

Farah had a clear goal behind her request. She planned to conquer the Great Orcus Labyrinth in her own world to obtain Ancient Magic, the Magic of Creation.

Then, she intended to use the Magic of Creation to build airships, submarines, tanks, and other advanced war vehicles. Naturally, she would pilot them herself.

"Alright."

With a single word, Alaya granted Farah's request without further questions.

*BUZZ!*

Instantly, a golden light enveloped Farah, signaling the transfer of the ability.

Not letting Gaia take over to speed up the reward session, Alaya continued granting the Saviors' requests one by one.

Farah wasn't the only one coveting powers from the Planar World: Type-Moon; several other Saviors thought similarly.

After all, there was a restriction that they could only request support-type abilities or tools, not offensive or defensive powers. Thus, the abilities of Servants in the Planar World: Type-Moon were prime candidates, as they often complemented and enhanced baseline capabilities.

Kazuya stepped forward. He requested the A-rank Instinct skill of King Arthur from the Planar World: Type-Moon.

As a swordsman, this Instinct skill would significantly boost his swordsmanship. After all, King Arthur's Instinct skill bordered on future prediction. Through it, one could negate penalties from visual and auditory interference to a certain extent, allowing reactions before threats were fully visible or audible.

This would be a massive advantage in combat!

Miguel requested the A-rank Golden Rule skill of Gilgamesh. With this ability, Miguel was destined to live a life of wealth; he could live as a noble and never face financial troubles for the rest of his life.

In short, money would come to him even if he lazed around. It wasn't impossible for him to stumble upon a Devil Fruit in his world just by taking a casual walk, and even if he couldn't use it, he could sell it for an astronomical price.

Thus, three Saviors had obtained abilities from the Planar World: Type-Moon.

However, Savior Number IV, Claire, broke the cycle.

While abilities from the Planar World: Type-Moon were indeed popular, Claire had her own decision and wasn't swayed by FOMO.