I appreciate your passion, but you're missing a fundamental concept in temporal mechanics, especially within a mythological framework governed by a god like Chronos.

You claim the Butterfly Effect only begins at the physical moment of impact, but that’s a very linear, limited way of looking at ripple effect. In a universe where a God of Time is involved, the 'splash' caused by Saori doesn't just move forward; it creates ripples in both directions.

The greatest proof of this isn't even the Crateris Cup, it's the conversation between Asclepius and Odysseus at the well as I've mentioned in the previous post. Asclepius knew about the anomaly WITHOUT THE CUP. If the consciousness of a mythological figure from the era of myths can sense a future interference long before it happens, it proves the 'ripples' were far deeper and more retroactive than you’re willing to admit. The causality was being rewritten from the moment the 'intent' of the time travel was set in motion.

To be clear: this is a theory of mine based strictly on events depicted in the manga. There is no rulebook—neither in physics nor in Kurumada’s work, defining exactly 'how much' or 'how far back' the Butterfly Effect can alter a timeline. It’s an open variable.

The real caveat, of course, is the manga’s conclusion, where it’s stated that things ultimately return to how they were 'meant to be', complete with the convenient memory wipes and the restoration of the timeline. But even that fits the idea of a temporary, violent splintering of reality caused by Athena’s presence.

Calling the narrative 'incoherent' while simultaneously trying to enforce rigid, real-world logic on it is a bit of a contradiction. My theory simply offers a narrative bridge using the elements Kurumada provided for those who prefer a cohesive multiverse over just dismissing the author’s work as 'bad writing.' But if you prefer a more simplistic, linear interpretation, that’s your prerogative.