Compared to the lofty goal of hijacking Gabriel's power, dealing with Index—the gluttonous nun—seemed far more manageable. With a plan forming in his mind, Su Mo finally decided to get involved in her situation.
Just as the conversation wound down and the group was preparing to disband, the Misty Space stirred again.
"Huh? Another newcomer?" asked the DanMachi Su Mo, clearly surprised. Two arrivals in such a short time was rare—though, to be fair, he hadn't been around that long himself.
"Seems like it," said the Campione Su Mo, analyzing the situation. "If it were an old-timer, they'd just materialize directly. Only a newcomer would be disoriented by the shift in space."
As expected, after about thirty seconds, a new Su Mo appeared before them.
Recalling the chaotic entrance of the Index Su Mo, none of them rushed forward this time. Sure, their shared bodies should've been compatible—but what if the new guy's power conflicted in some unforeseen way? Best not to tempt fate.
The four Su Mos studied the newcomer carefully.
He had slightly messy hair, as if he'd been working long hours. Like them, his face was handsome, and he looked about seventeen or eighteen. The most distinctive part was his outfit—a pristine white lab coat, black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, and a pen tucked into the breast pocket. The classic scientist look.
"…Proctologist?" the DanMachi Su Mo blurted without thinking.
"…Really?" The Index Su Mo turned to him with a face full of disbelief. "Why does it have to be proctology?!"
"Maybe it's orthopedics," chimed in the Fairy Tail Su Mo with a smirk. "Good thing I don't have any sisters, or I'd be worried about ending up in German orthopedics."
"You two are unbelievable," the Campione Su Mo sighed. "Wearing a lab coat doesn't mean he's a doctor."
Still, curiosity got the better of him. He turned to the newcomer and asked, "Just to be clear though—you're not a proctologist, right?"
Su Mo respected doctors, of course. But he still lacked the spiritual fortitude to truly transcend societal bias. And proctology… well, that required a special kind of courage.
The newcomer stared at them all—his expression shifted rapidly from shock to confusion to deadpan silence, and finally to a scowl. In just ten seconds, he'd concluded one thing with certainty: the guys in front of him were a bunch of idiots.
He ignored the absurd question and calmly examined his surroundings, then sized up the others who all looked just like him.
"…They really do look exactly like me."
"A crude transformation technique?"
He let out a cold snort and rolled up his sleeves, seemingly ready to unleash some kind of trump card.
"Oh? Looks like the newbie's packing some heat," said the Fairy Tail Su Mo with a glint in his eye.
"Could be," agreed the DanMachi Su Mo. "He popped into this strange space, saw four people who looked exactly like him, and didn't panic at all. That kind of composure… He might be hiding some serious power."
Hearing that, the Index Su Mo smacked his thigh excitedly. "Yes! This is exactly the kind of powerhouse I've been waiting for!"
"The more people like this, the better!" Su Mo from the Index world exclaimed excitedly. "Ideally, just drag me straight to the Magic God level so I don't have to live every day in fear. Who knows when one of those actual Magic Gods will suddenly decide to stack dimensions or rewrite reality on a whim."
He was clearly enthusiastic about the arrival of a new, potentially powerful ally. Under the curious gazes of the four Su Mos already present in the Misty Space, the newcomer confidently rolled up his sleeves, hands on hips—and then shouted, "Ralts, save me!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
An awkward silence fell upon the group.
Wait, wasn't this guy supposed to be a hidden boss? A game-changer? A powerhouse secretly holding onto world-breaking abilities? At least pull out a ghost needle technique or some hidden mystical card from a doctor's deck! But all he did was scream for help?
"Everyone, get him!" Index world's Su Mo ordered, clearly disappointed. "Against nonsense like this, there's no need to talk about loyalty or honor!"
"Got it!" the other three echoed.
The moment the words were spoken, the four Su Mos lunged forward and tackled the newbie to the ground. A short while later, the situation had been explained, misunderstandings cleared, and the new Su Mo sat up with a darkened expression.
"You people were the ones making wild assumptions. How is this my fault?" he muttered, rubbing his temple. "I thought I was facing something so terrifying even Ralts couldn't handle. Can you blame me for panicking?"
"Well, whose fault is it you looked so damn calm and composed!" Index Su Mo snapped back, exasperated. "I thought you were some reclusive immortal descending with sword and robe, not someone who'd shout for backup!"
The new Su Mo was speechless. "How was I supposed to know you guys were real? I thought maybe some ghost-type Pokémon was messing with me... I didn't expect that you were actually my golden cheat code. A late one at that!"
"Seventeen years old and only now unlocking my cheat skill? What's even the point anymore?" he sighed in frustration.
Hearing that, Fairy Tail world's Su Mo glanced at him with interest. "Well, no one's forcing you to use our powers. You could always just go solo."
"Hey, hey, what do you mean 'your' powers and 'my' powers? That's way too divisive!" the Pokémon world's Su Mo immediately retorted. "We're all Su Mo. Your powers are mine. My powers are mine. Obviously I'm gonna use everything I've got!"
Technically, he wasn't wrong—but the other Su Mos all found themselves silently agreeing on one thing: this guy's face was thick. Then again, they were all the same person, after all. It was only natural.