The moment the newcomer alert popped up, the group chat exploded with activity.
Kurumi: "Souta, you found someone already?"
Kurumi: "@Great Benevolent Deity Shiroyasha. This is a multiversal chat group connecting people from different worlds. The group announcement explains everything. Feel free to read it."
Altair: "Benevolent God? The newcomer is... a god?"
Great Benevolent Deity Shiroyasha.
"How do you even have the nerve to call yourself that!?"
Souta: "@Altair. Yes. The newcomer is indeed a god."
Souta: "@Great Benevolent Deity Shiroyasha. Read the announcement first. If you have questions, ask me—I'm the group leader."
Meanwhile, Kurumi sent another message:
Kurumi: "@Souta, I'm still loading up my Twelve Bullets for the time jump. It'll take some time. When are you coming?"
Souta: "Don't worry. I still need to talk with the new recruit. Take your time."
Kurumi: "Alright. Also... what about the two other newcomers? They haven't spoken at all. Did you confirm their identities?"
Souta: "Not yet. I have a rough idea."
Right on cue, a message appeared.
Tohsaka Household Head: "WHAT IS THIS PHONE!? NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I THROW IT, IT WON'T GO AWAY!"
Souta: "...Oh, would you look at that. Just in time."
"..." Souta was a little surprised. He had just been wondering when the newcomers would speak up, and now, here they were.
Kurumi: "@Tohsaka Household Head. Didn't you read the announcement? Everything is explained there."
Tohsaka Household Head: "I read it, but the contents are way too absurd. If you told me this phone was some kind of Mystic Code, I might believe that."
Tohsaka Household Head: "And what's this nonsense about me being a 'fictional character'?"
Kurumi: "The term 'fictional character' is just a placeholder. The relationship between our worlds and reality isn't fully understood yet. But one thing is certain—reality has detailed information about all of us."
Tohsaka Household Head: "Information? Who are you trying to fool? Based on your conversation earlier, you guys don't even know my name."
Souta: "Actually, I do know. I just didn't feel like saying it."
Now that the newcomer had spoken, Souta decided to trick her into revealing her identity.
Tohsaka Household Head: "Oh? You're the group leader, right? Hmph, just throwing out baseless claims won't convince me."
Souta smirked. Time to bait the trap.
Souta: "I'm Sakura's boyfriend. That makes us family, don't you think? So, do you still believe I don't know your name?"
No matter who the Tohsaka Household Head was—Tohsaka Tokiomi or Tohsaka Rin—this statement would definitely get a reaction.
✔ Rin would probably be shocked.
✔ Tokiomi... well, he'd probably get pissed and try to hunt Souta down.
However, Souta's guess was wrong.
The first person to react wasn't Tohsaka Household Head.
Kurumi: "@Souta. Wait a minute—Souta, you have a girlfriend? Who's Sakura? Care to explain?"
He forgot about Kurumi.
Tohsaka Household Head: "Wait, WHAT!? Sakura has a boyfriend!? Impossible! I see her all the time at school, and I've never noticed anything! You're lying!"
✔ Bingo. It was Tohsaka Rin.
Souta: "@Kurumi. I was joking. Just testing out the newcomer's identity."
Souta: "@Tohsaka Household Head. Yeah, I was lying. But now, I know exactly who you are."
Without hesitation, Souta used his admin privileges to rename her chat ID to Tohsaka Rin.
Kurumi: "Souta, if you pull that stunt again, I will be mad."
Tohsaka Rin: "Damn it! That was a setup! Who the hell are you guys!?"
Suddenly, another newcomer spoke up.
Illya: "Rin? So it was you? You must be behind this, right?"
Illya: "Tsk, such cheap tricks. Don't think this means you've won. When the Holy Grail War begins, I'll make sure you suffer."
Well, that certainly lured out the other silent newcomer.
And from what she said, Souta could already tell—
✔ This was the Fate/stay night Illya (Illyasviel)—the Lesser Holy Grail.
In the Fifth Holy Grail War, Illya had already known Rin from the very beginning, even casually calling her "Rin" at first meeting.
According to Fate lore, Illya inherited knowledge from the original Einzbern Holy Grail Maiden while submerged in the Grail.
Tohsaka Rin: "Wait! Who the hell are you, calling me so casually!? Do I even know you!?"
Illya: "Oh, you'll know me soon enough. Let's just wait and see."
After saying that, Illya went silent again.
Tohsaka Rin: "@Souta. You're the group leader. If all this stuff in the announcement is real, then you should know who this 'Illya' person is, right?"
Souta: "Of course. She's one of the Masters in the Holy Grail War—just like you."
Based on Illya's words, it seemed like the Fifth Holy Grail War hadn't started yet.
Tohsaka Rin: "She's a Master too? But I've never even heard of her before. How does she know who I am?"
Souta: "Well... you see, there's a person inside the Holy Grail. You just don't have the same kind of access."
At that moment, the third silent newcomer finally spoke up.
Great Benevolent Deity Shiroyasha: "This thing called a 'phone'... what a fascinating tool. No matter how hard I squeeze, I can't crush it!"
Then, he sighed in sympathy for the system phone.
Every newcomer tried smashing or throwing it away to test if it was real...
Even the mighty White Night Demon was no exception.
Souta: "Actually, you should try throwing it away and then using your 'Boundary Gate' to teleport somewhere else. See if it still follows you."
Great Benevolent Deity Shiroyasha: "Oh, I already tried that. I even had an adorable little rabbit poke it with a spear. Surprisingly, not a single scratch!"
That wouldn't happen to be the Spear of Indra(Brahmāstra Replica), would it!?