Kenji woke up early the next morning, well before the city had come to life. The first rays of sunlight peeked through the thin paper windows of his room, casting soft golden lines across the tatami mat floor. The sound of rustling bamboo and distant birdsong filtered through the quiet, setting a peaceful and reflective mood. He had rested well, his body healed and spirit calm, but there was a strange buzz in the air that made him feel like something awaited him today something beyond the usual rhythm of the daily grind.
After a warm and quiet breakfast at a small tea shop, where an elderly woman served him rice porridge with pickled vegetables and freshly brewed green tea, offering no words but a warm smile, Kenji left the inn with a clear goal. Today wasn't about fighting or grinding experience. It was about exploring Kyoto and relaxing today.
He walked through Kyoto's winding streets, his inventory neatly organized and his wallet secure inside his jacket. The cool morning air was fresh, carrying the scents of spring blossoms, incense, and distant food stalls. He wandered from district to district, each one blending the modern with the traditional glass office buildings beside wooden teahouses, and vending machines beside stone shrines. Kyoto was alive in layers, and Kenji felt like an explorer mapping hidden depths. He was a traveler in a city that seemed to exist across timelines, each corner of it whispering ancient stories.
He paused at a street vendor selling skewered mochi, biting into the chewy sweetness while enjoying the bustle of morning shoppers. At another stop, he bought roasted chestnuts from a wrinkled old man who claimed they had been blessed by a mountain kami for good luck. Every snack, every exchange was more than nourishment it was a chance to be human again, to reconnect with life beyond the cold logic of quests and experience bars.
At one quiet street corner, Kenji found a stand where an elderly man was selling hand-drawn calligraphy charms. The man explained each symbol—wisdom, clarity, resilience and shared their stories with the patience of a teacher and the reverence of a monk. Kenji listened carefully, fascinated by the weight each stroke carried.
Later, Kenji entered a small gift shop tucked between two cafés. It wasn't magical—no runes on the walls, no enchanted items—but it was filled with heartfelt hand-crafted goods. For his older daughter, he chose a beautifully carved cherry blossom comb. For his younger one, a red lacquered hairpin shaped like a fox tail. For his wife, a silk folding fan with an elegant crane design. And for his son, a tiny spinning top that made a pleasant humming sound when spun by hand. He lingered on that last gift for a moment, smiling as he imagined the boy's delighted reaction. He lingered on that last gift for a moment, smiling as he imagined the boy's delighted reaction.
He was sure the kids would love it.
As the sun rose higher, he continued sightseeing. He strolled through traditional markets, paused at small shrines tucked between buildings, and marveled at Kyoto's natural harmony with its hidden supernatural elements. The city seemed to breathe magic in a way no other place he'd visited had. Each step felt like it connected him deeper to the land's ancient roots.
Eventually, he found himself drawn to a quiet bench beneath a cherry blossom tree, the petals falling gently in the breeze. Curious to check in with the others, he opened his Multiverse Chat System only to find the screen lighting up with fast scrolls of text.
They were mid-argument.
[Eternal Virgin]: I'm telling you, I'm sure I'm the oldest! I've lived lifetimes through games and lore!
[Self-Proclaimed Human]: That doesn't count. I've died, reincarnated, and still technically started as a baby. I've been through more timelines.
[Red Cake Boss]: I'm not really arguing, just pointing out that I'm pretty sure I'm older than you Sora. Let's not get dramatic.
Kenji blinked at the unexpected topic.
[Administrator - The Gamer]: Morning, everyone. What's going on here? Did I just walk into an age war?
[Eternal Virgin]: Yes. Help me prove my superiority.
[Self-Proclaimed Human]: You can't trust someone who thinks pudding is a valid bribe.
[Red Cake Boss]: I have battle Scars older than your lifetime. Sit down.
Kenji couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it. This, strangely enough, was what peace looked like for their chaotic little group.
[Administrator - The Gamer]: Morning, all. Kyoto's calm today. Peaceful, How are things on your sides?
[Red Cake Boss]: Missions, training. My team and I just got back from a mission not too long ago.
[Self-Proclaimed Human]: Cultivating undead tea leaves. Leveling up and I'm pretty sure the tea leaves might be alive. Observing.
[Eternal Virgin]: Thing about conquering sexy animal-eared girl Kingdom.
[Red Cake Boss]: ...What?.
[Administrator - The Gamer]: Let me guess, you're going to say it's for diplomatic unity and peace?
[Eternal Virgin]: Exactly! Inter-sepice peace through cultural exchange... and tail appreciation.
[Red Cake Boss]: ...You're impossible.
Kenji smirked and leaned back against the bench. 'Oh so he's before the end of season 1'
[Administrator - The Gamer]: Shopping for souvenirs. Just picked up some simple handcrafted stuff, but made with a lot of care.
[Eternal Virgin]: Wait, no magic? Missed opportunity! At least tell me one of them sings when you spin it.
[Administrator - The Gamer]: Anyways what was that about ages?
[Red Cake Boss]: Sora brought it up, claiming he was the oldest and therefore the most responsible.
[Self-Proclaimed Human]: Which is clearly nonsense. I've died multiple times and lived across several reincarnations. I win, hands down.
[Red Cake Boss]: I didn't say much just corrected him. I am sure I was older and even if it's experience I've been through countless battles, Pretty sure that earns me seniority.
[Eternal Virgin]: I stand by what I said! Gamer ye whose wisdom is timeless and boundless! Give us your answer since you know of us all.
[Administrator - The Gamer]: Hmmmm, well this depends.
[Red Cake Boss]: On?
[Administrator - The Gamer]: Well, the age in a manner of speaking. Do you mean physically or totally?
[Self-Proclaimed Human]: Is there a difference? I mean isn't it going to be the same either way?
[Administrator - The Gamer]: Not really the answer changes depending on what we are looking at.
[Eternal Virgin]: Okay, Now I'm really curious about this.
[Red Cake Boss]: Me too.
[Administrator - The Gamer]: Not really the answer changes depending on what we are working with. If we are talking about just physical age then I'm the oldest at 35...
[Eternal Virgin]: Damn you're old.
A tick forms on his head, as he imagines knocking Sora on the head.
'Damn brat, he was only in his mid twenties before this, He was still young in his heart damn it'.
[Administrator - The Gamer]: Anyways....As I was saying next would be Erza who would be 19 if I'm not wrong yes? Don't hesitate to correct me.
[Red Cake Boss]: No that is correct.
[Eternal Virgin]: Damn It, I was sure I was Older.
[Administrator - The Gamer]: Then Sora 18 and finally Vandalieu who would be around 12 years old but thats just physically. But full scope..Well that's where thing turn upside down.
[Red Cake Boss]: How so?
[Administrator - The Gamer]: Well first off, I would be the youngest, then Erza at around 400+ years.
[Red Cake Boss]: WHAT?.
[Eternal Virgin]: WHAT?.
He ignored them and continued.
[Administrator - The Gamer]: Next would be Sora at around 6000+
[Eternal Virgin]: 6000?. What? How? When?
[Administrator - The Gamer]: And then the oldest would be Vandalieu at 100,000 years old.
Silence.
He was sure they had been shocked into silence.
He waited for a while to see if they would reply but they didn't. 'Guess they thinking it over'
[Self-Proclaimed Human]: I believe they are taking time to process.
[Administrator - The Gamer]: Yes It's best to leave them to process for now.
He and Vandalieu talked for a little while before he decided to continue his sightseeing.
He walked on. At every shrine he passed—grand or forgotten—he stopped to offer a few coins or a bow. At one, a small spirit in the form of a white dog barked and sat by his side. Kenji scratched behind its ears, and the spirit faded into mist, leaving behind the scent of pine and the faint echo of a grateful bark.
In a district lit by red lanterns and draped in soft shadows, Kenji got lost among narrow streets lined with antique stores and floating incense. He stopped to watch a puppet show where tiny mana strings controlled enchanted dolls in a battle reenactment. The audience, mostly children and elders, watched with delight. Kenji smiled genuinely. These quiet moments had magic that no spell could replicate. There was a purity to them—a reminder that magic could be joy, not just power.
He picked up more food—a sweet potato roasted over enchanted coals—and chatted with a vendor about the city's festivals and magical practices. These were the stories his system couldn't teach him. They were lived experiences, and he treasured every word, storing them like hidden quests waiting to be explored later.
As the sky began to turn orange and the wind grew cooler, Kenji made his way toward a riverside path. Lanterns floated along the water, and the murmur of monks chanting prayers reached his ears. It felt like the city itself was exhaling, settling into twilight. He paused to watch the river carry light across the surface, reflecting a world both familiar and surreal.
It was almost time to go back home. Honestly, he didn't think his trip would be this smooth.
Then came the disturbance.
[Danger Sense] activated.
'Just had to jinx it'.
A deep, growling noise emerged from a nearby alleyway. Kenji froze. The mana in the air shifted, chaotic.
Kenji stepped forward, face hardening.
"Of course," he said. "I just wanted one normal day."
His sword appeared in his grasp, humming with mana. His other hand lit with energy as he prepped a barrier spell.
Kenji shifted his stance, the wind swirling at his feet, his senses locked on.
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