The neon lights of Tokyo's cityscape cast a vibrant glow over the streets, a stark contrast to the concern etched on Sayo's face. Juichi walked hand-in-hand with her, his brow furrowed with worry.
"Hey, is everything okay?" Juichi asked, his voice tinged with concern.
Sayo forced a weak smile. "I'm just tired from today's date, that's all."
Juichi's eyes narrowed, sensing there was more to it. But before he could press the issue, a group of rough-looking delinquents emerged from the shadows.
The leader, a burly youth with a menacing scar above his left eyebrow, sneered at the couple. "Well, well, well, what do we get here? Love-birds, how cute."
The group, adorned in black jackets with the emblem "Lion Fang" emblazoned on the back, began to circle around Juichi and Sayo.
"We hate lovebirds like you," the leader spat, his eyes gleaming with malice. "And we could always use some extra cash."
Without warning, the Lion Fang delinquents charged Juichi and Sayo.
Juichi instinctively pushed Sayo behind him, his eyes locked on the attackers.
The first delinquent Otama, a lanky youth with a cruel grin, swung a wild punch at Juichi. With lightning-quick reflexes, Juichi dodged the attack and countered with a swift kick that sent the delinquent crashing to the ground.
The leader of the Lion Fang 'Lion Mask', enraged by his comrades' defeats, lunged at Juichi with a brutal combination of punches and kicks. Juichi blocked and parried the attacks, his movements swift and precise, before landing a devastating counterattack that sent the leader crashing to the ground.
The remaining delinquents, undeterred by their leader's defeat, launched a fresh attack. Juichi and Sayo stood back-to-back, ready to face the onslaught.
Juichi delivered a series of swift kicks that sent the delinquents flying, while Sayo unleashed a flurry of punches that left her opponents reeling.
One of the delinquents Sakamoto, a tall and muscular youth, grabbed Sayo from behind, attempting to restrain her. But Sayo was quick to react, using her agility to slip out of the delinquent's grasp.
She then delivered a perfectly aimed kick to the delinquent's stomach, sending him doubling over in pain.
Juichi, taking advantage of the distraction, launched a fierce attack on the remaining delinquents. His fists flew in rapid succession, striking true time and again.
The delinquents, battered and bruised, began to falter. One by one, they fell to the ground, defeated.
Finally, only the leader of the Lion Fang remained standing. Enraged and humiliated, he launched a desperate attack on Juichi.
But Juichi was ready. With a swift and powerful kick, he sent the leader crashing to the ground.
The fight was over. Juichi and Sayo stood victorious, their chests heaving with exhaustion.
As they caught their breath, Sayo turned to Juichi with a look of concern. "Are you okay?" she asked.
Juichi nodded, his eyes smiling. "I'm fine," he said. "Thanks to you."
Sayo smiled back, her eyes shining with admiration. "We make a pretty good team," she said.
Juichi grinned, his heart swelling with pride. "We sure do," he said.
And with that, the two of them shared a tender moment, their love stronger than ever.
But little did they know, their happiness was short-lived. A new challenge was just around the corner, one that would test their love and their courage to the limit.
...
Juichi's Dad, Kaito Nakamura sat in his cluttered room, surrounded by stacks of manga, anime figurines, and otome game merchandise. His eyes were glued to the screen of his gaming console, where his favourite otome game, "Love Reborn," was playing.
As he navigated the game's latest route, Kaito's excitement grew. "Yes! I finally got the confession scene with my favourite character, Taro-kun!" he exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air.
Just as Kaito was about to continue playing, a strange, shimmering light appeared above his head. The light grew brighter and began to take shape, forming a swirling portal.
Kaito's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the portal. "W-what the...?!" he stuttered, his voice trembling with fear.
...
Juichi bid Sayo farewell, watching as she walked away before turning to head home. As he entered his house, he called out, "Dad, I'm back!"
The only response was silence.
Juichi frowned, expecting his dad to be in his usual spot, playing games or watching anime. He walked through the house, calling out again, "Dad? Are you here?"
The silence was oppressive, and Juichi's concern grew. He checked his dad's favourite rooms, but there was no sign of him.
Juichi's eyes narrowed as he noticed something odd. The gaming console was still on, and the otome game "Love Reborn" was still playing. But his dad's favourite gaming chair was empty, and his phone and wallet were still on the table.
A shiver ran down Juichi's spine as he realized that something was off. His dad would never leave his gaming session unfinished, especially not when he was so close to completing the route.
Juichi's mind raced with worst-case scenarios. He quickly searched the rest of the house, but there was no sign of his dad.
Where could he be?
The room seemed to grow darker as if the shadows themselves were closing in around him. Juichi felt a chill run down his spine.
What was happening?
Where could his dad possibly be?
[Kaito Nakamura, Age 40, NEET, Juichi's Dad] has been teleported to The World Of Magic and Swords: Astralis ,750 Divine Calender Year
...
Kaito's eyes fluttered open, and he found himself lying on a bed-like structure in an unknown, ancient fort. He was naked, but a change of clothes and a 3D pocket-like pouch lay beside him.
As he put on the fantasy-adventure-style clothes, Kaito's otaku brain kicked in. "This isn't the world of 'Love Reborn'!" he exclaimed, referencing the otome game he was playing before being transported.
Memories of isekai anime flooded his mind, and Kaito's eyes widened. "Could it be? Was I transported to a different world?"
With a newfound sense of determination, Kaito stood up, deciding to explore the surrounding area. "I need to find a village or town nearby and gather information."
As he walked through the grasslands, Kaito tried to access his "status screen" by saying, "Status."
A virtual screen appeared before him, displaying his stats:
Level: 1
Acquired Power: Fire Dragon
Skills: Fire-type magics and skills
Kaito's eyes scanned the list, and he chose the "Speed Fire" skill to increase his movement speed.
With his newfound ability, Kaito sprinted toward the kingdom in the distance. As he approached, he saw a massive castle town with a door made of steel and wood, and walls constructed from old rocks and ancient bricks. The sign above the door read "Kingdom of Klyrode."
Two knights stood guard on either side of the gate, while traders and adventurers bustled in and out of the castle town.
As Kaito approached the entrance of the Kingdom of Klyrode, he noticed a knight standing at the door, meticulously checking the IDs of the people in line. Kaito's heart sank as he realized he didn't have one.
When it was his turn, the knight looked at him expectantly. "ID, please," he said gruffly.
Kaito hesitated, unsure of what to do. "I...I don't have one," he admitted.
The knight raised an eyebrow. "No ID? That's unusual. Very well, I can issue you a temporary one...for a price."
Kaito's eyes narrowed, sensing a potential scam. "How much?"
The knight smiled, showing a hint of greed. "One gold coin, and I'll make you a brand-new ID."
Kaito rummaged through the 3D pouch he had found in the old fort. His fingers brushed against the cool metal of a sword, and he also found a small stash of coins: four gold coins, 10 silver coins, and two copper coins.
He handed the knight one gold coin, and the knight's eyes lit up with excitement. "Excellent choice, sir! Your ID will be ready in just a moment."
The knight busied himself, stamping and signing a small piece of parchment. He handed it to Kaito, who took it, feeling a sense of accomplishment.
"Welcome to the Kingdom of Klyrode, sir," the knight said, stepping aside. "May your stay be...enlightening."
Kaito smiled, tucking the ID into his pouch. He walked through the gate, entering the bustling castle town. The sounds and smells of the kingdom assaulted his senses, and he felt a thrill of excitement.
Kaito's otaku brain sprang into action as he pondered his next move. "Ah-ha! I need to find the Adventurer's Guild! With a permanent ID, I won't have to shell out a gold coin every time I enter the kingdom."
As if on cue, his status screen flickered to life, displaying a map of the kingdom with the Adventurer's Guild marked prominently. Kaito's eyes widened in amazement.
"Whoa, this power is incredible! It's like having a built-in GPS and information database!"
With renewed excitement, Kaito followed the map to the Adventurer's Guild. As he entered the guild, he was greeted by a friendly receptionist with a warm smile.
"Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild! How can I assist you today?"
Kaito approached the desk, his confidence boosted by his newfound abilities. "Hi! I'd like to register as an adventurer, please."
The receptionist's eyes sparkled with interest. "Excellent! We don't often get newcomers. Let me just grab the registration form... Ah, but first, may I ask your name?"
Kaito hesitated for a moment before responding, "I'm Kaito. Nice to meet you!"
The receptionist smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Nice to meet you too, Kaito! Now, let's get started on that registration..."
To be Continued