Is it fate that orchestrates such encounters?
"Ugh… so sleepy," Azusa groaned, yawning expansively.
The day after his intense Shangri-La Frontier session—arranging to challenge Unique Monster: Wezaemon the Tomb Keeper and navigating his "talk" with Pencilgon—Azusa sprawled on the university rooftop, staring at the blue sky. Since yesterday's events, his mind felt like a cloudy sky before rain, muddled and unsettled.
(What's with this weird feeling…)
Pencilgon—Towa's smile when she accepted the Pure Fang Necklace was undeniably beautiful. Not the smirk of a scheming villain or the polished grin of a charismatic model, but the genuine smile of an ordinary woman. That moment clung to his thoughts, refusing to fade, leaving his emotions in a tangle he couldn't unravel.
His jeans pocket buzzed as his smartphone vibrated. Checking the screen, he saw a call from "Dad." Bracing for the usual, he answered with a hint of dread.
"Hey, Dad?"
"Hey, Azusa! Enjoying university life?" his father's booming voice replied.
"It's alright. Getting used to the apartment, cooking for myself. How's Mom doing?"
"Oh, she's too energetic—worries me sometimes!" his dad laughed heartily.
Azusa chuckled at his father's familiar exuberance. Since graduating high school and starting university, he'd moved out, living in a small apartment while attending classes. His parents covered tuition until graduation, on the condition he didn't take a gap year and earned his own living expenses—a deal he upheld diligently.
"So, Azusa," his dad continued, "your mom and I are itching to see some grandkids. How about an arranged marriage?"
The bombshell shattered the pleasant vibe.
"Dad, I'm nineteen," Azusa protested. "Barely an adult, just started university!"
"Look, your mom and I could go any day. We just want to see you settle down, maybe give us a grandkid before we kick the bucket."
"You had me before you were twenty, and you're still going at it like rabbits every night. Now you're greedy for grandkids?" Azusa quipped.
"Damn right! Passing on the next generation's a human duty. Plus, we don't plan to leave a grave—don't want to burden you kids."
In Japan, the aging population and declining birthrate were worsening. Part-time job age limits had dropped to middle schoolers, and while robots filled some gaps, experts warned that within decades, the youth would struggle to support the elderly. Azusa had seen news about government laws to address this.
"No grave, huh…" he murmured.
His thoughts drifted to Wezaemon the Tomb Keeper, a Unique Monster who'd devoted eons to guarding his beloved's grave, undefeated by any Shangri-La Frontier player. Pencilgon aimed to take him down, and Azusa had vowed to see it through to the end.
"Azusa? Something wrong?" his dad asked.
"Nah, it's nothing. Got a lecture soon, so I'm hanging up. Say hi to Mom."
"You got it! Keep at it!" his dad cheered.
Cutting the call, Azusa stretched and headed back to class, determined to honor his promise to his parents.
After lectures and his convenience store shift, Azusa returned to his apartment, washing his hands and gargling before preparing dinner. Tonight's menu was a touch lavish: two bags of frozen fried rice for a hearty portion, store-bought wakame soup, and a sliced apple. He clasped his hands, said "Itadakimasu," and dug in, savoring the rice, cleansing his palate with soup and apple, and leaving no grain or seaweed behind. "Gochisousama," he said, cleaning up.
After washing dishes, sipping water, and showering, he changed into pajamas and laid out his futon. Swapping Shangri-La Frontier for Berserk Online Passion—aka B.O.P.—in his VR gear, he confirmed everything with a point-and-check. After a bathroom break and a quick scan of the game's wiki for basic bug techniques, he donned the headset and lay down.
(Let's see if Bushikatzo's already logged in. I told him I'd be on, so it should be fine…)
Clicking OK on the login screen, the avatar creation menu appeared. B.O.P. offered male and female avatars, starting with outfits resembling mohawked goons from a certain post-apocalyptic fighting manga. Progressing through the story unlocked more customization options.
"Name: Black Pepper. Base it on myself, black hair with white streaks, male, about 180 cm tall. For types—Attack, Speed, Defense, Balance, Technique… I'm training leg parries, so Technique it is."
Completing the character creation, Azusa dove into B.O.P.'s world. The opening cinematic played, and he emerged as the fighter Black Pepper.
A wasteland ravaged by nuclear collapse, littered with traces of past human life, steeped in chaos. Trust only your fists and feet.
Fight! Paint this world in your colors!
"…So that's B.O.P.'s vibe. Totally ripping off that post-apocalyptic fighting manga," Black Pepper muttered.
Nighttime in-game meant a pitch-black sky twinkling with stars, illuminated by scattered campfires. What shocked him most was the absence of other players, despite the late hour.
"The wiki said it was a ghost town, but this is just sad…" he remarked.
A sparsely populated kusoge, yet it held a strange allure for eccentric gamers. Mastering leg parries here might reveal that charm, a valuable experience for a gamer like him.
"I'll grind story mode until Bushikatzo shows up, maybe test some bug tech—huh?"
As Black Pepper moved to start the story, he spotted a lone player. A handsome guy with slicked-back hair, dressed in all black—a sleeveless jacket, shorts, black boots, and bandages wrapping his shoulders, fists, and wrists. His player name: Sunraku.
"Hey! You there!" Black Pepper called.
"Hm?" The player stopped, turning to face him.
That face sparked déjà vu. I've seen him somewhere…
"Uh, what's up?" Sunraku asked.
"So, I just logged in—total newbie, started today," Black Pepper explained.
"What?!" Sunraku's eyes widened.
"I'd love some tips from a veteran," Black Pepper said, bowing. "Please!"
Sunraku gaped, stunned that a newcomer had joined this desolate game.
"For real? A newbie?" he asked.
"Yeah, so—wait…" Black Pepper paused. The voice, the smile, the eyes—pieces clicked into place. "No way… Rakuro-kun?"
Sunraku choked, then grinned, realizing he'd been recognized. "Wait… the convenience store guy?!"
"Yup, your friendly neighborhood convenience store clerk!" Black Pepper laughed.
The kid who always bought energy drinks—especially Riot Blood—at the convenience store, becoming a familiar face.
Azusa Gojou, a retro gamer who'd conquered countless titles and shattered arcade high scores.
Rakuro Hizutome, a kusoge master, revered, feared, and admired under various aliases for taming the worst games.
In the barren world of B.O.P., two players destined to shake Shangri-La Frontier with countless unique discoveries crossed paths—a moment of serendipity.
When Protagonists Cross Paths
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