*****
Location: Liyue, Teyvat
Zhongli was seated by a teahouse window, sipping osmanthus wine, when a golden-hued screen appeared before him.
[Invitation: Join Dimensional Chat Group?]
[Might have a solution to corrosion.]
Zhongli furrowed his brows.
"Hmm... An transparent screen? New Technology? "
With his usual calm and curiosity, he clicked [Accept].
[You have joined the Dimensional Chat Group as: "Geo Archon"]
*****
Meanwhile, in Axel town
Kazuma Satou had just failed another quest. Again. He lay sprawled across his bed in defeat, staring blankly at the ceiling when a glowing screen suddenly popped into view.
[Invitation to Dimensional Chat Group: Yes/No]
"Huh? Some kind of scam?" he muttered, lifting his head. "Wait... This looks like a real system screen…"
Without much thought, and mostly out of boredom, Kazuma tapped [Yes] .
[You have joined the Dimensional Chat Group as: "shut-in NEET"]
"What kind of title is that!?" Kazuma groaned.
*****
Location: Z-City
Saitama was sitting in his apartment playing a cheap video game when the screen popped up.
[Invitation to Chat Group — Accept?]
[You might find someone that can fight you]
"Eh?" He stared at it, poked it twice with his finger. "A game? Bonus quest?"
He hit [Accept].
[You have joined the Dimensional Chat Group as: "Caped Baldy"]
"Hey! That's rude!" he said out loud—but shrugged and kept playing.
*****
Location: Itogami Island
Minamiya Natsuki sat atop a large pile of sealed grimoires, legs crossed, sipping from her teacup as the barrier surrounding the island shimmered. A digital screen suddenly appeared before her.
[Invitation Detected: Join Dimensional Chat Group?]
[Accept] or [Accept]
"Hmph. Someone's magic trying to breach my wards?"
She sighed, setting her tea down. "Tch… whatever. If this is someone's idea of a joke, they're about to regret it."
She tapped [Accept] with a bored expression.
[You have joined the Dimensional Chat Group as: "The Witch of the Void"]
*****
Location: Saegusa Family Estate, Japan
Mayumi was lounging on her veranda, sipping tea while scrolling through her terminal. The breeze was calm—too calm for her taste. Boredom was beginning to gnaw at her when—
A shimmering digital glyph flickered in her terminal, forming a golden screen.
[Invitation: Join Dimensional Chat Group?]
[A secret to increase your height. Accept?]
Mayumi blinked. "Eh? A weird hacking attempt? Though they got nerve!" Said Mayumi with eye twitching.
Still, her curiosity got the better of her.
TAP.
[You have joined the Dimensional Chat Group as: "Elven Sniper"]
*****
BACK IN DINO'S WORLD...
A new window popped up
[Current Group Members:]
— Sleeping Ruler
— Geo Archon
— shut-in Neet
— Caped Baldy
— The Witch of the Void
— Elven Sniper
Suddenly, chat messages began flooding in:
[Geo Archon have joined the chat group]
[shut-in Neet has joined the chat group]
[Caped Baldy has joined the chat group]
[Knowledge Seeker Maniac has joined the chat group]
[Elven Sniper has joined the chat group]
Seeing as nobody speaking, they must be still processing the information that got transmitted in them.
[Sleeping Ruler (Admin): Well… I'm in class, The chat group info probably got transmitted to you by now. So later.]
While saying that he turned off the change nickname setting and went offline.
[Sleeping Ruler is Offline]
—
The cafeteria was echoing with chatter and rustling as students passed by one another with trays in their hands. Deeno had come here with his friends for lunch, and they were in the middle of staring at the menu at the entrance while they pondered what they would order.
Deeno walk through cafeteria looking for a table to while waiting for others to order food. And as he sat after finding one.
"Yaho~ Dinocchi. Hmm? This is rare… eating at the cafeteria today? Forgot your bento or just too lazy to pack one?"
Deeno who was playing games in his phone turned his head to the right and saw Nonoa Miyamae.
She wears her dashing blonde hair in many hairstyles but typically wears a high-side ponytail with some parts of her hair braided.
"Well, y'know, Rin's not home. Too troublesome to make one myself or something."
"Ha-ha-ha. You reallyyy don't change, huh~?" she laughed softly, setting her tray across from him and sitting down without waiting for an invite.
He gave her a sideways glance.
"And you? Why're you here?"
Nonoa gave a mock gasp, then smirked.
"Ehh? Am I not allowed to go find my boyfriend?"
Deeno deadpanned.
"You make it sound like I'm a missing cat."
She giggled.
"Well, I didn't find you on the roof—your usual napping grounds—so I figured you'd somehow made it all the way down here."
"Yeah, I would've believed if not for that half-finished lunch"
"He-he. Well, I got bored eating with my friends..., and since you're here I just came~. She said in a joking tone.
She poked a cherry tomato with her chopsticks and leaned on her elbow.
"Besides, food tastes better when I'm watching you look half-dead."
"That's a weird kink, Nonoa."
She laughed again, unfazed. "Only for you, Dinocchi."
Just then, voices echoed from the cafeteria entrance.
"Yo! There you are!" Takeshi called out as he and Hikaru entered together, waving.
"Good Morning Miyamae-san sorry for intruding", Hikaru added with a soft smile as the two made their way over. Takeshi dropped down on Dino's left side while Hikaru took the seat beside him, sliding into the spot with his usual grace.
"Nah~ I'm about to leave anyway"
A few seconds later, Masachika appeared, walking over with his tray and settling into the seat directly across from Takashi.
Nonoa, noticing the new arrivals, stood up leisurely and picked up her tray.
"Well, I'll leave you boys to it sorry for intruding" she said in that relaxed, sing-song tone, her expression calm but subtly affectionate as her eyes briefly lingered on Dino.
She leaned slightly toward him with a casual grin.
"Later, Dinocchi. Don't go nappin' through the whole period, okay?"
Deeno raised a hand half-heartedly.
"If I don't wake up, it's fate."
"Figures~." She chuckled softly, then turned and walked off without rushing.
Masachika shook his head lightly.
"You two really do act like an old couple already."
Dino exhaled and slouched in his seat.
"Mmm.. That's so?..."
Hikaru let out a small chuckle, picking up his chopsticks.
"It's nice, though. You seem comfortable with each other."
"Too comfortable," Takeshi added with a laugh. "It's like watching two sloths date."
"Though… even if this isn't the first time I've seen it," Hikaru said with a gentle smile, "Dino, when you're talking with Miyamae-san, your whole vibe kind of changes, you know?"
"That's right, that's right!" Takeshi leaned over with a grin. "Be honest already—got a thing for Miyamae-san, don't you?"
"Vibe, huh...?" Masachika glanced at Dino thoughtfully. "It's that you know, in a manga where there's a lazy guy who doesn't care about anyone but then got captured by heroine or something."
"Yeah," Hikaru added, tilting his head slightly. "You normally look like socializing is a bother—but when it's her, you seem... warm."
Deeno raised an eyebrow and casually replied between bites, "She's my girlfriend though. Of course, I'd treat her differently."
The table went completely silent for a second.
"…Whaaat?!" Takeshi exploded, nearly knocking over his drink.
Several students turned to look. Takeshi quickly bowed his head, muttering apologies to the tables nearby.
"What do you mean you're dating? This is the first I'm hearing about it!" he said, eyes wide, dropping back into his seat.
"Oh," Deeno said flatly.
"'Oh'?! That's it?! Wait—you two knew already?!" Takeshi turned toward Hikaru and Masachika, scandalized.
Hikaru let out a soft laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "I kind of suspected... just wanted to confirm it."
Masachika gave a nonchalant nod. "I figured it out a while ago."
"You've got to be kidding me…" Takeshi slumped forward, looking betrayed. "I'm the only one who didn't know?"
"Did I not tell you guys?" Deeno asked, blinking.
"You did not!" Takeshi snapped back, dramatically pointing a finger.
"I see." Deeno shrugged. "Well, now you know, all's well."
Then he looked over at Masachika. "Though honestly, I thought you would've told him. You're the one who told me to confess in the first place. When I told the situation that time. And you're just teasing me about it this morning."
Masachika scratched his head awkwardly. "I figured you wanted to keep it lowkey."
"...Damn it, you guys are the worst." Takeshi muttered, crossing his arms while the others just laughed.