The midday sky was clear—the clouds drifted lazily above the small apartment complex.
The air was warm, and the faint sound of birds accompanied the footsteps of two people walking side by side along the outdoor corridor.
"Okay," Yuuto said, lightly clapping his hands.
"We've handed out all the greeting gifts, and it seems we've greeted all the neighbors, right, Shiina-san?"
He looked around and exhaled softly.
But beneath that calm, something unsettled him—every time they passed someone, conversations stopped just to look at him.
Those eyes—filled with admiration, and perhaps… interest.
The women they walked past whispered quietly, hiding shy smiles behind their hands.
Yuuto's aura—golden blond hair, upright posture, and composed expression—radiated a charm that couldn't be put into words.
"Yes… it seems so, Kido-san," Mahiru replied softly.
She could clearly see that Yuuto was uncomfortable. His brows drew together slightly, and his gaze shifted from side to side as if looking for a way out of those stares.
"After this…" Yuuto looked at her again, his tone soft.
"…what will you do?"
Mahiru blinked, surprised.
"Eh? Me? Umm…"
She looked ahead for a moment, then smiled small.
"I think I'll clean my room. There are still a lot of things I haven't taken out of the boxes."
Yuuto nodded gently, though there was a faint tiredness in his eyes.
"Alright. Then I'll head out for a bit to buy some things too."
Mahiru bowed her head a little, her voice quiet, though she didn't know why her chest felt heavy.
"Then… take care, Kido-san."
Yuuto took a step to leave but paused.
"Hmm, wait a second."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper and a pen.
His hand moved quickly yet neatly, writing a series of numbers.
Mahiru looked at him, puzzled.
"Kido-san?"
Yuuto turned with a gentle smile.
Without any extra words, he handed the paper to her.
"This is my phone number."
His voice was calm and firm—warm, yet protective.
"If Kenji bothers you again, or if something strange happens, call me. Think of it… as a precaution."
Mahiru froze for a moment.
She looked down at the paper in her hand.
"O-okay…" she said quietly, her cheeks flushing red.
Yuuto gave a small nod.
"Alright then, I'll get going."
He turned one more time, offering a faint smile.
"Take care, Shiina-san."
Mahiru didn't respond in time—she just watched his back as he walked away, his steps steady, his presence glowing in the warm afternoon light.
When his figure finally disappeared around the corner, Mahiru lowered her gaze to the slip of paper.
Her fingers closed around it tightly.
She smiled softly, her face slightly pink.
"…Strange," she whispered.
"We just met, but it feels… safe."
A gentle breeze stirred her hair.
---
Evening gradually descended over the city.
The sky glowed with soft orange, and the wind carried the scent of fallen leaves.
In a small park beside the street, Yuuto Kido sat alone on a wooden bench, the hood of his black jacket pulled down to hide part of his face.
A shopping bag with new clothes rested beside him—shirts, pants, and another hoodie.
But even after buying all of that… something still felt wrong.
The stares of passersby clung to him—admiring glances, quiet whispers from young women.
Even small children paused to look, captivated by the "mysterious blond boy" sitting alone.
Yuuto turned his head away, pulling his hood lower.
His expression tightened, his eyes sharp beneath the shadow.
"What is with these people… why do they keep staring?" he thought, his breathing slightly heavy.
Every stare felt like a small needle—not painful, but intrusive.
But there was something more troubling than discomfort.
A faint feeling… cold, but also proud.
He didn't feel shy or uneasy—he felt the opposite.
"And what is this…?" he muttered quietly.
He looked at his reflection in the dark phone screen.
"For some reason… I don't feel like myself."
The memory of his hand gripping Kenji's head flashed in his mind.
The calm he felt then… wasn't human calm.
It was… superiority.
"It started when I did that to Kenji," he thought, watching his fingers curl slowly.
"And those stares…"
He exhaled roughly.
"They don't make me nervous… they disgust me."
He looked around—
a laughing couple,
two women whispering,
an old man reading a newspaper.
But in his eyes… they looked so small.
So ordinary.
So… low.
Yet, within that rising arrogance, another emotion stirred—quiet and dignified.
Yuuto closed his eyes and whispered,
"There must be a reason. I'm not like this…"
He shook his head sharply.
"I should just ask the group."
He opened his flip phone.
A soft blue holographic screen rose above it—
but instead of silence, dozens of notifications rolled rapidly.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
Chat avatars flipped past quickly.
Something big was happening.
"Huh… what's going on?" he muttered, typing quickly.
[Kido]:
What happened? Is something going on?
A reply appeared instantly.
[Lady Avalon]:
Oh, my new disciple~ so you're awake. Perfect timing. 💫
[Kido]:
Teacher? What is happening?
[Lady Avalon]:
From now on, just call me Merlin-sensei. 💋✨
And to answer your question—
the Chat Group has just activated the Interworld Quest System.
Yuuto read it twice.
[Kido]:
Interworld… quest?
[Hatsune Miku]:
Yes, Yuuto-san~ 🎶
And the first quest just got announced!
Yamato's icon appeared next:
[Yamato]:
Heh, and the world chosen this time… is mine. 🏴☠️🌊
[Kido]:
Your… world?
[Kuroneko]:
Yep. One Piece.
The world of seas, pirates, and grand adventure.
Yamato comes from there.
[Kido]:
I understand now… Then what is the quest?
[Lady Avalon]:
1. Form a pirate crew from the Chat Group members.
2. Gather great treasures at sea.
3. Eliminate the Transmigration Parasite currently polluting the One Piece world.
Yuuto stared at the message.
"Pirates… treasure… and… transmigration?" he murmured.
He typed again.
[Kido]:
Is this quest… difficult?
[Irene Belserion]:
The first two are fine. But the third… is a serious problem.
Someone from another world has possessed a person in One Piece and is causing distortion.
This creates a dimensional tear.
If not fixed in time, more worlds will be pulled into it.
We have one month to prepare.
[Kido]:
Then… why wait one month?
[Hatsune Miku]:
Don't worry 😊
The tear fully opens in one month and 15 days. That's when we must go.
[Yamato]:
Until then, I'll gather info here.
Prepare yourselves. My world… isn't gentle. 💥
[Kido]:
I understand.
I hope I won't slow anyone down.
[Lady Avalon]:
Don't belittle yourself, my student~
The body you have now is far beyond ordinary.
You will be one of our core strengths. 🌙
The hologram dimmed slowly.
The orange sky reflected in Yuuto's eyes.
"One Piece, huh…" he whispered.
"Pirates, treasure, and someone who stole another's body… somehow, that feels familiar."
The system displayed one final line:
[Quest Countdown: 29 days 9 hours 57 minutes]
Yuuto pulled his hood up again, rising from the bench.
His silhouette was touched by the glowing evening light.
"…Alright," he said quietly, voice steady.
"I should prepare too."