Mario spent the next three days settling into his new home.
There wasn’t much furniture.
A bed.
A dining table.
A refrigerator.
A sofa.
A television.
Enough to make the house livable.
Nothing extravagant.
He deliberately kept the place simple.
There was no point decorating a house when he knew he would rarely stay in it for long stretches.
Most of his time would eventually be divided between Earth…
and whatever fictional world he chose to visit next.
Luna adapted surprisingly well.
Or perhaps…
She adapted too well.
In her Fenrir form, she remained inside the Sage’s Estate where she could freely roam the forest.
But whenever they returned to Earth…
She transformed into her Maine Coon disguise and immediately claimed Mario’s sofa as her personal throne.
He had bought the sofa exactly two days ago.
By the third day…
It already belonged to Luna.
Mario didn’t even argue anymore.
His routine stabilized.
Morning.
Breakfast overlooking Taal Lake.
Check the news.
Review expenses.
Visit the Sage’s Estate through the World Gate.
Train.
Practice magic.
Hunt monsters if additional cash was needed.
Return home.
Sleep.
Simple.
Predictable.
Peaceful.
Exactly how he liked it.
One quiet afternoon, Mario sat on the balcony with a notebook resting on his lap.
Across the top of the first page, he wrote four words.
Future World Visit Candidates
Then he leaned back.
“…Let’s think.”
Unlike the World Gate…
World Travel could only be used once per fictional universe.
One mistake.
One wasted opportunity.
Gone forever.
He had no intention of choosing carelessly.
The first name that came to mind was obvious.
Naruto.
Mario immediately crossed it out.
“Bloodlines.”
Too many of the strongest abilities depended on clan heritage.
Sharingan.
Byakugan.
Wood Release.
Even if he knew exactly where certain treasures were…
The world’s greatest advantages still revolved around genetics.
Not efficient.
Next…
One Piece.
He considered it for several minutes.
Devil Fruits certainly held incredible value.
Haki could be learned.
Technology was interesting.
Still…
The world itself was far too dangerous.
Strong enough pirates could destroy islands.
He slowly shook his head.
“Not yet.”
Bleach.
Crossed out.
Soul Reapers.
Spiritual bodies.
Too many unknown variables.
Marvel.
Mario laughed.
“No.”
That single word was enough.
He wasn’t suicidal.
Dragon Ball.
He stared at the name longer than expected.
Then…
Instead of crossing it out…
He simply circled it.
“…Maybe.”
Not because he wanted Super Saiyan powers.
That wasn’t realistic.
It was because of something else.
Something much simpler.
He tapped the pen against the notebook.
Then continued writing.
He stopped thinking about specific worlds.
Instead…
He wrote requirements.
Priority One
Acquire technology or knowledge useful on Earth.
Priority Two
Skills not dependent on bloodlines or genetics.
Priority Three
Minimal political involvement.
Priority Four
Maximum long-term value.
He nodded.
This was much better.
Objectives first.
Worlds second.
His thoughts wandered.
“If I can obtain advanced manufacturing knowledge…”
“Artificial intelligence.”
“Medical technology.”
“Energy generation.”
“I could skip decades of development here.”
He wasn’t interested in becoming a superhero.
Building an empire required more than strength.
It required industry.
Infrastructure.
Innovation.
Technology.
Then…
A thought suddenly froze him.
Mario slowly lowered the notebook.
“…Wait.”
He frowned.
His analytical mind immediately began reviewing everything he knew.
The World Gate.
Time ratio.
One hour here.
One hour there.
Perfect synchronization.
He already understood that.
But…
World Travel…
The ability granted directly by the Random Omnipotent Being…
Earth’s time stopped while he was away.
That much had already been explained.
“…Zero to one.”
His heartbeat slowed.
“If I spend ten years in another world…”
“I come back the exact second I left.”
He nodded once.
That wasn’t the problem.
The problem…
Was himself.
He quietly looked down at his own hands.
“I still age.”
Silence.
The realization slowly settled over him.
“If I get trapped…”
“If I spend fifty years trying to escape…”
“I’ll return fifty years older.”
Earth wouldn’t notice.
Everyone else would think no time had passed.
But his body would.
His life would.
His remaining lifespan would.
Mario closed the notebook.
“…That’s a risk.”
A very serious one.
No amount of preparation could guarantee he wouldn’t become trapped in an unfamiliar world.
One accident.
One dimensional seal.
One unexpected disaster.
That would be enough.
He leaned back in his chair.
“There has to be insurance.”
Something.
Anything.
A safeguard.
He began mentally reviewing countless fictional worlds.
One after another.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
Then…
A single idea surfaced.
His eyes widened slightly.
“…A wish.”
He sat upright.
“There are worlds…”
“…where wishes can become reality.”
Not ordinary wishes.
Real ones.
The kind capable of altering existence itself.
If he could obtain one before beginning his long-term World Travel plans…
Everything would change.
No more worrying about becoming stranded forever.
No more fear of aging endlessly in another universe.
He could eliminate the greatest uncertainty before it ever became a problem.
Mario slowly smiled.
“…I know where I’m going.”
He stood.
Walked toward the balcony railing.
The evening breeze carried the scent of the nearby lake.
Behind him, Luna lazily stretched across the living room sofa without even opening her eyes.
Mario looked toward the horizon.
“The second World Visit…”
“…will be for a wish.”
Far away…
The last rays of sunlight disappeared beneath the mountains.
As darkness settled over Tagaytay…
Mario had already begun planning his next impossible journey.
End of Arc 2
To Be Continued…