"Allen-san, what's wrong? You don't look very energetic today."
"Yeah, yeah, Allen, you seem so tired! Weren't you fine this morning?"
Allen forced a small smile at the corner of his lips, of course I was fine this morning.
After all, this was Akihabara! Allen had long dreamed of coming here, and now that he finally had, how could he not be excited?
Unfortunately, though Akihabara was still Akihabara, not some knockoff place, he had arrived too early.
It was 199, and the anime peripheral mecca of Akihabara hadn't fully formed yet. At this point, the streets were mainly dominated by electronic games rather than anime merchandise.
And what Zongze happily shared with them were the games Allen had played countless times before, the pre-King of Fighters versions…
Fun? Sure. But Allen was already tired of them. With the rapid development of PC online games and mobile games, his tastes had evolved. The old systems no longer impressed him. Once you've seen the ocean, rivers are boring. How could he enthusiastically pick up an old console and yell, "The Subor is limitless fun!"?
Oh, right, there was no Subor console yet. What a miserable life…
Watching the others playing happily, Allen decided to go stroll around alone, not planning to call anyone along. As an experienced traveler, he knew no one could be persuaded to move at that moment, especially since Zongze had warned them these machines weren't allowed into school.
Though the group was underage and couldn't carry wands outside the school gate, a wizard's uncontrolled magic could easily damage these electronics. Zongze repeatedly warned them not to get too excited, breaking the machines would be disastrous.
Allen couldn't help but laugh quietly as he watched them carefully play, even pounding the machines with their fists. After a brief, restrained greeting, he stepped out of the arcade.
••┈┈┈┈┈༓┈┈┈┈┈•••
Because it was the weekend, the streets were bustling. Allen's unusual appearance didn't create a stir but still drew curious glances. He didn't care, time might be off, but shopping was still a good pastime, especially in an unfamiliar area.
Honestly, he even hoped someone would try to snatch his money, it would have made things less boring. But the security here was excellent. After half a day of wandering, he hadn't encountered a single troublemaker; instead, he received several mysterious invitations.
Being approached by girls was nice, but when one had a suspiciously child-manipulating expression and invited him to some "love inn" game, that was another matter. Allen was fourteen; though taller than most his age, his face clearly revealed his youth, so a little teasing was normal.
After searching for a while, Allen finally scored something valuable in a more secluded shop, the first edition of the Dragon Ball manga.
This now-iconic manga had just begun and, although popular, first editions weren't impossible to find. When the shop owner offered a low price, Allen didn't hesitate to purchase the full set of eleven volumes.
Though slightly expensive, Allen was delighted. He didn't put the books in his bag but instead flipped through the first volume while walking, he had forgotten most of the story over the years.
As expected, classics are classics. After reading half a volume, he found himself unconsciously walking back to the arcade.
Already?
Checking the time, Allen decided he wouldn't continue wandering. It was time to call the others back, or the school might become concerned. They had traveled far from Akihabara, using Floo Powder to reach the transfer station. Being late would be troublesome.
Allen closed the book and, while no one was looking, pulled out a large bag of drinks he had acquired during his search. The taste was surprisingly good, perfect to share with his friends.
However, just as he was about to open the door, a chair flew out. Allen dodged with agility, but his drink bag was brushed, and one bottle spilled onto the precious book he had worked so hard to obtain.
Instinctively, he reached for his wand to clean it, but then remembered it was left at school for the same reason as the others'.
Telling himself to stay calm and not reveal his identity, Allen turned to the door. Inside, two groups were fighting.
The reason for the fight was unknown, arcades are always a mixed bag. Normally, it's best to ignore such incidents. Allen wasn't planning to play peacemaker this time.
But the book had to be dealt with. Justice had a target. Allen would handle it cleanly without dragging in anyone else.
However, when trying to calmly speak, there's always someone stupid who provokes.
Before Allen could say anything, a guy who seemed to be leading one group pointed at Allen's nose and sneered,
"Scram, brat. This is adult business. Stay out of it."
As Allen and his group prepared to intervene, a scream echoed, the boy on the ground's arm was dislocated by Allen's swift grab.
Before anyone could react, Allen kicked down the remaining thugs, if they were going to wait for their boss to shout some idiotic plan, better to finish it swiftly. Everyone's time was precious.
"Cough, cough… thanks, friend. Um… may I ask what group you're from?"
A swallowed gulp followed, the remaining gang leader almost dared to speak.
Allen ignored him, raising the book toward the fallen boy.
"Do you even know what manners are? If you break someone's things, you should at least apologize."
Unexpectedly, the boy on the ground didn't react. Behind Allen, the sound of someone bowing deeply came, so low it almost touched their lower body.••┈┈┈┈┈༓┈┈┈┈┈•••
100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
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