The plan was named: [Heroic Spirit Cultivation Project].
If the Heroic Spirits of Heaven were too powerful to be summoned, then he would simply summon ordinary people with strong individual willpower and cultivate them into heroes.
In any case, the bodies manifested through Xia Jia’s magic summoning were similar to Heroic Spirits; death simply meant returning to the real world.
This could absolutely serve as the foundation for a “Fourth Calamity.”
As an old bookworm and a “literary plagiarist” (author who copies/adapts stories), he had read quite a few stories involving the “Fourth Calamity” or “Evil Game Developer” tropes.
As it happened, the world of DanMachi already highly aligned with the worldview of a Western fantasy RPG.
Therefore…
“I have the general idea, but how should I explain my situation to the group members?”
While pondering, Xia Jia mobilized his mental energy and opened a void leading to the [Comprehensive Anime World].
Coordinates: Home.
The size of the space-time gate was still only as small as a needle tip.
But compared to connecting to Heaven, it was much easier and more stable.
Xia Jia could also attempt to enlarge the hole; the limit was about the size of a thumb.
In that instant, Xia Jia felt a subtle sensation that many similar holes already existed in this world itself.
“My guess was right; there really is ‘Mystery’ in that world.”
With that in mind, I need to be even more careful in my actions.
According to Xia Jia’s understanding, since a world like Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid existed, it was guaranteed to be connected to Tohru’s world; angels, demons, demon lords, and heroes could not be ruled out.
Xia Jia thought of a countermeasure, pulled out his phone, and turned it on.
The signal on the screen gradually rose until it was full.
Wi-Fi connected successfully.
He opened QQ and logged into the chat group.
[Xia Jia: “I, Hu Hansan, have returned!”]
[Blank (Offering incense): Shocked!]
[Thunder Hammer Wielder (Offering incense): “A missing person has returned?!”]
[Iwanaga Kotoko (Offering incense): “A ghost?!
A monster!”]
[Guitar Hero (Offering incense): “Wuwuwuwuwu!
A-a-a-my hair!”]
[Xia Jia: “What is up with all of you using the incense-offering sticker?!”]
Just after sending the message, Xia Jia was stunned; the entire member list had updated their suffixes to candles and panda incense-offering stickers.
[Thunder Hammer Wielder: “Wow, Gate Master, you’ve been missing for a whole week!
Everyone thought you had fallen while exploring the boundary of the ‘Invisible World’!”]
Dekomori was so scared she even forgot her habitual “death” catchphrase.
[Chiba no Datenshi Kuroneko: “It matters not.
I, myself, have long said that I would strike if needed!
Even falling into hell is but returning to the kingdom that belongs to me.”]
[Kasumigaoka Utaha: “I give up.
The editorial department almost released a missing person notice.
Now that you’re okay…
then, since Machida-san asked me to check, when will the new volume of Demon Slayer be finished?”]
Xia Jia: Stunned!
I’ve even transmigrated, and there’s still someone here chasing me for drafts!
Are you a demon from somewhere?!
Who would still act as a typist for updates after transmigrating?!
You jerk!
…
“I hate you, Old Fatty Kasumigaoka!”
Feeling the enthusiasm of the group members, Xia Jia was moved, but he didn’t forget his purpose.
The magic had a limited duration, and he had to act as quickly as possible.
He quickly scanned the chat history to see the major events of the past few days, and finally, his attention was drawn to one particular message.
[Someone in the group snatched a closed-beta qualification for SAO!]
Many people were quite interested in the world’s first fully immersive game, and regretted not being able to snatch a closed-beta qualification.
Xia Jia thought, This is bad.
If SAO already exists, doesn’t that mean mine is dead in the water?
Maybe I should just come clean.
At this moment, the group began asking Xia Jia about his whereabouts for the past week.
[Xia Jia: “I know everyone is curious about my situation this past week…”]
[Xia Jia: “If I said that I accidentally transmigrated to another world and was entrusted with the duty of summoning heroes to crusade against a world-destroying dragon, would you believe me?”]
[Thunder Hammer Wielder: “Shock!
Is that true, death!”]
[Blank: “Heh, I think you could call the police.
If you said you were asked by Qin Shi Huang to help him restore his empire and were promised the Elixir of Life as a reward, that might actually fool someone.”]
[Guitar Hero: “Xia Jia-san, if you’ve been kidnapped, blink once!”]
[Xia Jia: “Why won’t you believe me when I’m telling the truth?
As long as you accept the Divine Blood, I can teleport you over.
A bona fide otherworld adventure.
Plus, you get a starter Falna; as long as you achieve great deeds and level up, eternal youth is not just a dream.”]
Xia Jia took a selfie to prove he wasn’t lying.
[Gichiku Hero: “Yo, you made it look pretty convincing, but you might as well say you’re running a brand-new game; that way we’d be a little interested.
An otherworld adventure?
Only a fool would go.”]
[Chiba no Datenshi Kuroneko: “SAO really is called the Second World, but the closed-beta quotas were too few; it was impossible to snatch one.
However, Gate Master, you couldn’t actually be participating in the production of a brand-new game, right?
According to the typical behavior of certain companies, a high-copycat is probably coming.”]
Xia Jia felt a bit deflated.
Nobody believes the truth, so I might as well just try it the way Kazuma suggested.
Besides, I was originally planning to recruit using the SAO model anyway.
Xia Jia continued to think: If I say I was invited by a game company for secret testing, then the one-week disappearance can be covered up; why not give it a try?
[Xia Jia: “If there were truly a ‘Second World’ similar to SAO that could restore reality 100%, would you be interested?”]
…
Sakura City, an apartment.
Hitori Gotoh, who was hiding in her closet after uploading her daily guitar solo, stared at the chat group.
She buried her head between her legs, her chin reflecting the light from her phone.
“A second world…
on the internet, I can still stand up.
Maybe I can make friends there too.”
Bocchi-chan, a social recluse in the real world, was unexpectedly a social butterfly on the internet, even having the talent to boast about her guitar skills in the comment section.
But a fully immersive game was still uncertain for Bocchi.
That day, when she was sitting on the sofa watching TV with her family, the sudden advertisement for SAO changed the world that had previously only contained her guitar.
If I could start a brand-new life in another world, that would be great!
Thinking of her first fan on the internet, Bocchi seemed to gain a little confidence.
…
Sakura City, in a mountain forest somewhere.
Iwanaga Kotoko was chosen by monsters at a young age and, at the cost of one eye and one leg, became the God of Wisdom for the monsters.
Her duty was to be responsible for monster incidents in the city and to explain the anomalies through common sense.
She put away her phone, next to the monster who had returned to report to her.
“Is it confirmed?”
“Yes, Princess.
Strange spiritual power reactions have appeared at that person’s residence; the possibility of him turning into a spirit after death cannot be ruled out.”
In front of the girl was a blood-soaked samurai ghost.
“I see.
The possibility of him haunting the area after becoming a spirit cannot be ruled out.” Iwanaga Kotoko covered her face.
“Really, none of these people make it easy for me.”
“Events like this have been increasing lately.
What exactly is going on…”
The samurai chimed in: “The monsters have also noticed it; it seems the demonic aura has become quite active.”
Hearing this, the girl jumped down from the tree and walked in the direction of the city center.
“Sigh, why do things have to become as troublesome as losing one’s virginity…”
The samurai was speechless regarding the girl’s lewd jokes.
“We’re going back.
Keep an eye on that ‘Descender’ person.”
“Yes.”
…
Far away in the other world, Xia Jia was helpless to see the dead air in the group chat.
In the end, because he had to search for group members, aside from the few companions seeking the “Invisible Boundary Line,” most of the others were still just internet friends.
For instance, Kazuma, Blank, and the others—Xia Jia hadn’t even met the real people; if it weren’t for playing a lot of games, he wouldn’t have been able to pull anyone in.
The power of the shut-in is truly terrifying.
Xia Jia pondered:
I don’t have many [Test] slots I can issue from my side.
Even if Ryuu receives the letter in a few days, I can increase my stats through skills.
Given the high magic consumption of summoning Heroic Spirits, I can’t expand on a large scale for the time being.
Thinking of this…
Xia Jia’s fingers danced in the chat group, leaving a sentence:
[“I have two participation slots for the test here; if you’re interested, private message me.”]
Afterward, he secretly opened a private chat with his old friend, [Shadow].
[Xia Jia: “Are you there?
Are you there?
Nudge”]
[Shadow: “?
You’re still alive?”]
[Xia Jia: “?”]
When I type a question mark, it’s best if you have a problem.
Not wanting to waste time, Xia Jia’s ten fingers flew.
[Xia Jia: “I have a fully immersive game here that is completely real, with a claimed fidelity of 100%.
Are you interested?”]
[Shadow: “Can it let me physically tank a nuclear bomb?”]
[Xia Jia: “No.”]
[Shadow: “Then I’m not interested.”]
[Xia Jia: “…”]
He slammed his phone down!
That’s not how the script is supposed to go!
Xia Jia retrieved his phone in a depressed mood.
Thinking that if it were Shadow, he should believe in the other world, his fingers danced again.
[Xia Jia: “The game can’t tank nuclear bombs, but becoming an adventurer might.
Do you want to come to another world?
Let’s have a passionate duo-run!”]
Xia Jia’s message sank like a stone in the ocean.
In a mountain forest somewhere.
Shadow stared at the chat group, watching the video Xia Jia sent repeatedly.
In the video, Xia Jia blinked his eyes sincerely.
“The video is a live stream, that’s correct, but the time is dusk.
Deducing from that, the location of ‘Old Xia’ has a significant time difference.
Plus, the surrounding environment…”
“Hmph, that idiot actually used such a clumsy method to remind me.”
He switched off his phone, pulled up his collar, and hid the crowbar inside his schoolbag into his sleeve.
He casually booked a plane ticket on his phone.
“Just wait, your Daddy Shadow is coming to save you right now.”
…
DanMachi World.
Xia Jia stared at the phone screen, a drop of cold sweat leaving his brow.
“This guy, he wouldn’t have gone to some non-existent kidnapper hideout to save me, right?”
If there was anyone in the chat group who best fit Xia Jia’s initial persona, it was undoubtedly [Shadow-sama], who was always training.
This ultimate “Chuunibyou” who trained with the goal of fighting against nuclear bombs was at least at the level of a special operations soldier.
He was significantly more reliable than someone cute and “moe” like Guitar Hero.
However, this guy was truly self-willed sometimes.
Xia Jia hurriedly sent messages, trying every way he could to persuade Shadow not to be impulsive.
“Sigh.” Xia Jia let out a sigh.
…
At this moment, on the top floor of a high-rise building, inside a room completely sealed off by heavy curtains, Sora turned off the chat window on the screen.
He looked at Shiro in his arms with complex emotions and said: “Hey, Imouto-yo.”
“Mm.”
“He actually said it’s just like the trashy reality, huh.”
“It’s said so.”
Shiro collapsed onto the floor, dazed, sucking on her thumb and nodding slightly.
She didn’t know how long it had been since she last slept.
“Then doesn’t that mean…”
“Nn.”
Shiro tightened her body, shivering: “Scary.”
Scary, so scary, so scary.
Reality is so scary.
The world outside the room is so scary!
“But…” Shiro rubbed her eyes and lifted her head: “Fully immersive…
want to play!”
“Eee—” Sora hugged his head: “I don’t want that kind of thing!”
“But…” Shiro pondered: “It’s a game, so it’s okay.”
“…”
“But his rhetoric is also too similar to that ‘Qin Shi Huang, send money’ scam.
However, because it’s so clumsy, it doesn’t seem fake instead.
How about we just watch and see?”
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught “Equilibrium”?
l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I’m a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 165)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh!
— Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter220)
“Is this chat group even serious?” (Chapter125)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal!
(Chapter250)
Can Playing Games Save the World?
65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I’m Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 220
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 185
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 248
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 230
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/40
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 125
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 145
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 115
Summoning an Evil God, but the 75
Supernatural Multiverse 110
My Harem Is Indescribable 100
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 105
“I’m just a Valkyrie passing through.” 67
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105
Still playing traditional Honk 80
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 85
What Should I Do After Switchi – Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 78
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon?
55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 80
Checking In in Demon Slayer 85
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 100
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 85
My Best Friend Into a Slime?
80
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 90
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero?
75
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 80
Why did they assign me to Uma 75
MYGO Beauties 70
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 70
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 80
Honkai’s Otherworld?
Wait—Who Are You People?!
80
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 57
The Uma Musume Who Became 55
I’m Definitely Not the King of 60
After Maxing Out Every Class 45
Naruto: I’m Konoha’s Local Men 35
Honkai: World Modulation Mode 34
I, the Elden Sword Saint 27
Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 24
No One Knows Pokémon Better 18
I, Sakazuki, Won’t Go Down Tha 20
From Trilobites to Titans 10
Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 17
Arknights: Starting Out as a S 27
DanMachi:
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught “Equilibrium”?
l (Chapter 80) Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178) Zenless Zone Zero: I’m a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 165)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 ) TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110) Yu-Gi-Oh!
— Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter220) “Is this chat group even serious?” (Chapter125) I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal!
(Chapter250) Can Playing Games Save the World?
65 Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77 From Junkman to Wasteland 66 Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31 I’m Grinding Proficiency Like 46 From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 220 Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42 Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65 Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 185 From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20 The Way the Umamusume Look at 68 Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 248 Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65 Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76 Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66 My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65 Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 230 Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154 I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/40 The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 125 Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67 Uma Musume: From Beginner 145 Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85 Uma Musume: I Want All 120 I Can Copy Unique Skills 115 Summoning an Evil God, but the 75 Supernatural Multiverse 110 My Harem Is Indescribable 100 Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 105 “I’m just a Valkyrie passing through.” 67 Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105 Still playing traditional Honk 80 The Most Filial Son Under Heav 85 What Should I Do After Switchi – Volume2/3 Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 78 Hell-Difficulty Dungeon?
55 Transmigrated as Sukuna 80 Checking In in Demon Slayer 85 The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 100 I Refuse to Become a Heroic 85 My Best Friend Into a Slime?
80 A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 90 What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero?
75 Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 80 Why did they assign me to Uma 75 MYGO Beauties 70 DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 70 The Gacha Merchant Who Started 80 Honkai’s Otherworld?
Wait—Who Are You People?!
80 Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 57 The Uma Musume Who Became 55 I’m Definitely Not the King of 60 After Maxing Out Every Class 45 Naruto: I’m Konoha’s Local Men 35 Honkai: World Modulation Mode 34 I, the Elden Sword Saint 27 Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 24 No One Knows Pokémon Better 18 I, Sakazuki, Won’t Go Down Tha 20 From Trilobites to Titans 10 Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 17 Arknights: Starting Out as a S 27 DanMachi: