I'm in Morioh, just joined a chat group for cute girls.

A portal of light unfolded beside W, and as it was pushed open, a figure stepped out.

He was a boy, who looked no more than sixteen or seventeen years old.

He was dressed in an overly clean black hoodie and gray cargo pants, an outfit completely out of place on the battlefield.

He simply stood there quietly, as if he were not in a deadly place amidst gunfire, but taking a stroll in his own living room.

He didn't even look at the mercenaries who were pointing their guns at him, nor at the dying Sarkaz demon behind him.

His gaze swept past everyone, landing on the distant sky, tinged with a grayish-yellow hue by industrial fumes, his eyes indifferent as if he were looking at a boring landscape painting.

Everyone was stunned. Time seemed to have been paused.

"Where did this brat come from?" The leading mercenary frowned and instinctively roared, "Get out of here if you don't want to die!"

The boy didn't answer, not even raising an eyebrow.

"Weather forecast!"

He whispered the name.

The moment he finished speaking, the space behind him distorted slightly, and a blurry human figure made of blue and white clouds quietly emerged.

It has no facial features, and the edges of its body are like flowing clouds, exuding a pure yet powerful aura.

The moment the order was given, the weather forecaster vanished from his spot.

The next moment, a scene that defied common sense unfolded.

The sky darkened in that instant.

It wasn't the kind of gloom that comes from dark clouds obscuring the sun, but a pure, pitch-black darkness that stripped away all light.

Immediately afterwards, a fierce wind howled up without warning, whipping up sand and gravel from the ground and making a sound like ghosts howling.

The mercenaries were horrified to discover that they could not breathe.

The surrounding air seemed to be instantly sucked away by an invisible hand, and their lungs burned with excruciating pain. They opened their mouths wide, but could not make a sound. They could only struggle in vain like fish out of water.

Then, the raindrops began to fall.

It wasn't ordinary rain, but a viscous, green liquid with a pungent, acidic smell.

The raindrops fell on the mercenaries' armor and skin, immediately producing a sizzling, corrosive sound and puffs of white smoke.

The screams finally broke free from the suffocating restraints, but were quickly drowned out by the excruciating pain.

The whole process took less than ten seconds.

When the light returned, the wind stopped.

A strange, indescribable odor filled the air.

The once arrogant mercenaries were now all lying on the ground, their bodies corroded beyond recognition, their weapons and armor turned into pools of twisted molten metal.

The whole world was deathly silent.

W leaned against the wall, his mouth slightly open, his scarlet pupils contracted to their limit due to extreme shock.

The grenade launcher in her hand had somehow slipped to the ground.

She stared at the boy's retreating figure, her mind blank.

What is that? Originium Arts?

The boy slowly lowered his hand, and from beginning to end, he never looked back at her.

He acted as if he had done something trivial, like casually swatting a mosquito.

Then, under W's gaze, his figure began to become transparent, like a television screen with a poor signal, flickering twice before disappearing completely into the air.

It was as if he had never existed.

W was left alone, standing on this silent battlefield that had been "cleaned up" and exuded an eerie atmosphere.

She looked down at her hands, which were covered in blood and dust, and then looked up at the sky, which had returned to its grayish-yellow hue. For a moment, she was disoriented and didn't know where she was.

[I hate real-life women]: Mission accomplished.

[Devil Muscle Rin]: Is that all? Hey, big cockroach, I thought you were in big trouble, calling for help and tagging all members, and this is it?

【Devil Muscle Rin】: You made the atmosphere so tense, but it turned out to be all bark and no bite.

[American Scythe]: You have absolutely no idea what just happened! Forget it, I'm too lazy to explain to a pampered young lady like you who only knows how to talk big.

W.jpg

Chapter 3: A boy? Is he a beautiful girl?!

【American Scythe】: @HateThirdDimensionalWomen, I didn't expect you to be so capable. How about it, interested in working for me? I promise you won't be shortchanged on compensation.

Gu Ye picked up his phone, looked at the recruitment message on the screen, curled his lips, and typed a reply without hesitation.

[Dislike of real-life women]: Not interested. I just want to play games quietly and date my lovely anime/manga waifus.

His words were like a switch, immediately igniting another person in the group.

【Marin】: Wow! Newbie here likes anime waifus too? Me too! Same here! We're fans!

[I hate real-life women]: Can't you tell just by looking at my name? I hate real-life women the most.

In his previous life, Gu Ye was an orphan who was accused of sexual assault on the subway without any evidence. After being imprisoned for a year and a half, his girlfriend left him, his cat was gone, and his life was completely ruined.

Three-dimensional women are terrifying!

[Devilish Muscle Rin]: Since you declined W's invitation, could the newcomer please introduce herself? Isn't that basic courtesy? My name is Rin Tohsaka, and as you can see, I am a noble magician.

【American Scythe】: W, Sarkaz mercenary. If you ever change your mind, or encounter any trouble that requires a 'physical' solution, feel free to come to me anytime. Of course, given your strength, I probably won't need my help.

【Marin】: My name is Kitagawa Kaimu! I'm just a very ordinary high school girl! My biggest hobbies are cosplay and my anime waifus! Nice to meet you, newbie!

【Herrscher of Food】: Raiden Mei, like Hai Meng, is just an ordinary high school student.

[Note: The group name "Hate Three-Dimensional Women" has been changed to "Weather Forecast"]

[Weather Forecast]: Gu Ye. An ordinary Stand user, and also a high school student. A complete shut-in with no friends. In my world, my two-dimensional waifu is enough.

【Marin】: Stand users? What are those? Sounds so cool! Is it a bit like cosplay?

[American Scythe]: Turns out he's a homebody.

【Devil Muscle Rin】: So you're an otaku.

【Marin】: So you're a homebody.

[Herrscher of Food]: So you're an otaku—wait, why are you an otaku?!

[Devilish Muscle Rin]: Yeah, that's the important point! Isn't this supposed to be a "2D Anime Girl Chat Group"?! Is there a system error?

[American Scythe]: What's the difference? Men and women are the same, as long as you have strength. Only the weak care about gender.

【Herrscher of Food】: W, did you misread something? The conditions for joining this group clearly state that only girls can join.

[Weather Forecast]: I don't know what happened, I just inexplicably ended up here. At first, I thought some clueless Stand user had launched an unknown mental attack on me.

Gu Ye typed these words, leaned back in his chair, and recalled the one-sided massacre that had occurred just minutes before.

He knew very well that none of the Stand abilities known at the moment could cross the world barrier.

This chat group is more bizarre than any stand-in.

[Devil Muscle Rin]: Hey, isn't there any system administrator in this chat group who can come out and explain this?

【Marin】: But, it wouldn't be a bad thing if a strong guy joined us, right? It would be even better if he were a handsome guy!

[American Scythe]: That guy is too skinny. You can feel it even through the screen. He looks like he could fall over with a gust of wind. He's so frail.

【Marin】: Rin is a magician, W can conjure bombs with her bare hands, and Gu Ye is a Stand user—in that sense, Mei-senpai and I are the real ordinary high school students. Thank goodness, at least I still have Mei-senpai with me.

[The Herrscher of Food]: I'm also very fortunate that Kitagawa-kun is willing to accompany me.

Inside Raiden's luxurious villa, the air still carried the faint aroma of creamy baked dishes from after dinner.

Raiden Mei sat upright on the soft fabric sofa, a gentle smile on her face, her slender fingers holding her phone as she looked at the lively discussion on the screen.

When Kitagawa Kaimu said, "It's alright, it's alright, I still have Mei-senpai with me," the smile in her eyes deepened, as if starlight was flowing within them. She typed the next line in a good mood.

[Restaurant Herrscher of Food]: I'm very satisfied with my current life. Living an ordinary life as an ordinary person feels pretty good.

[Weather Forecast]: No, Raiden Mei, your world is not as wonderful as you imagine, and you will definitely not live an ordinary life.

[Herrscher of Food]: Huh? Gu Ye-jun, what do you mean by that?

[Weather Forecast]: Your father will soon be arrested and imprisoned for financial fraud, and you will become the Herrscher of Thunder, a figure that will make the whole world tremble.

[Herrscher of Food]: Father will go to jail? What is the Herrscher of Thunder? Gu Yejun, this kind of joke is not funny at all.

Raiden Mei's brows furrowed tightly for the first time because of this new group member.

This guy named Gu Ye is so rude. Who would curse someone's father with such certainty the moment they meet?

Even with her usually gentle and good-tempered nature, she couldn't help but feel a slight anger rising within her, wanting to give the other person a good scolding.

Her fingertips had just touched the virtual keyboard, and before she could even type a single word, a new message notification popped up at the top of her phone without warning.

The sender's profile picture was one she knew all too well—her father Raiden Ryoma's gentle, smiling face.

[Raiden Ryoma]: Mei, I'm sorry. Daddy can't be with you anymore. You'll be all alone, so please take good care of yourself.

This message was like a cold needle, instantly piercing Mei's barely suppressed anger.

Her pupils contracted sharply, and almost at the same second, the green dot representing online status disappeared from under the gray avatar.

"Dad? What happened?" she murmured, her heart pounding uncontrollably.

Before she could even recover from this sudden turn of events, another news notification pop-up abruptly filled the entire phone screen.

[Breaking News: ME Corporation has been exposed for the largest economic fraud case in its history. Former president Raiden Ryoma is suspected of forging financial documents and illegally raising funds. He has been urgently dismissed by the board of directors and handed over to the judicial authorities.]

The light from the phone screen reflected in Raiden Mei's pupils, the light flickered violently, and then froze instantly.

Her body, which had been sitting upright on the sofa, became stiff. The last trace of color drained from her face, and her lips parted slightly, but she could not utter a sound.

The phone slipped from her limp hand and fell softly onto the soft wool carpet with a "thud".

The villa was deathly silent, except for the chat group that was still tirelessly refreshing messages.

Chapter 4 People always like compromises

【Marin】: Mei-senpai? Why aren't you saying anything? What happened?

【Marin】: Hello? Mei-senpai? Are you alright? Don't scare me!

[Devilish Muscle Rin]: Hey, newbie! What did you mean by what you just said? What did you do to Mei?

[Devil Muscle Rin]: You can't joke about something like this! Predicting someone's father going to jail, your character is just too awful!

[American Scythe]: Ha, jail? Isn't that common? In my world, the guy who was calling you brother yesterday will sell your head to the enemy as a pledge of allegiance today.

[American Scythe]: The strong devour the weak; that's the law of the world. Nothing to be surprised about.

【Marin】：W-sister! This isn't the time to be making sarcastic remarks! Mei-senpai, she must be very sad!

The phone screen on the carpet was still lit. She slowly bent over, her body trembling slightly uncontrollably.

She took a deep breath, as if using all her strength, and her trembling fingertips typed a line of text on the screen.

[The Herrscher of Food]: What he said... is all true.

[Herrscher of Food]: The news is out, Dad... he really got arrested.

【Marin】: Huh?! Really?! How could this happen?! Mei-senpai, are you alright?!

[Devil Muscle Rin]: ...Tsk, it's actually true.

[Herrscher of Food]: I don't know... I don't know what to do... I think there are reporters' cars outside the house, I heard them...

[Herrscher of Food]: Who...who can help me?