Kenji let out a long, heavy sigh, slowly lifting his head from the cold wood of the kitchen table. He forced himself to breathe, reigning in the panic with cold pragmatism.
Since groupchats in fanfictions always lead to crossovers, I'll just have to kill that bastard before he manipulates Saki
He turned his attention back to the floating chat interface. He could easily tell them he knew exactly who they were, but that would unnerve them entirely. Better to play it normal for now.
[Kenji Sato: Subaru. Calm down for a second. My name is Kenji Sato. I think this chat is connecting people across different worlds.]
[Subaru Natsuki: Different worlds?! Okay so I'm not crazy! I'm Subaru Natsuki and I literally just got yanked out of a convenience store and dumped into some medieval fantasy place! There are demi humans everywhere!]
[Saki Yoshida: O-Other worlds? That sounds insane... but this app literally just downloaded itself onto my phone so I don't really have a leg to stand on here. I'm Saki Yoshida.]
[Saki Yoshida: Junior high just ended for me and I haven't really made any friends yet so... this is actually kind of nice? Even if the circumstances are completely bizarre.]
[Kenji Sato: You have nothing to worry about Saki. We will be your friends.]
[Subaru Natsuki: Obviously! You've got a friend in me! The great Subaru Natsuki always looks out for people!]
Kenji let out a short genuine laugh at that.
[Kobayashi: okay so. I was doing overtime alone in my office. Had a few drinks. And now I'm in what appears to be another world surrounded by naked elf men. I am not complaining about the view at all but WHAT IS HAPPENING]
Kenji stared at the message for a moment. Drunk. Alone doing overtime. Suddenly surrounded by naked elves and somehow still coherent enough to type about it.
[Kenji Sato: Ignore her. She is clearly intoxicated.]
[Subaru Natsuki: Yeah no that's definitely drunk rambling. So Kenji, you said different worlds, does that mean you got sent somewhere too?]
[Kenji Sato: In a manner of speaking, yes. Though my situation is a bit different from yours. I appear to be in modern day Japan. A city called Fuyuki. Everything seems completely average at first glance.]
[Kenji Sato: Though I will admit I am rather confused. I seem to have woken up in an entirely new body.]
[Subaru Natsuki: WAIT WHAT. A new body?! Like you straight up reincarnated into someone else?!]
[Saki Yoshida: A new body?? That's incredible... do you know what you can do with it?]
[Kenji Sato: Honestly? I have no idea yet. I woke up a couple of seconds ago.]
[Subaru Natsuki: Okay, forget the powers for a second. What do you look like now? Did the universe at least make you hot?]
Kenji glanced at his reflection in the dark kitchen window. Pale skin. Refined, almost regal features. Gold eyes that didn't look remotely normal.
[Kenji Sato: Yes. Without a doubt.]
There was a pause.
Then—
[Subaru Natsuki: YOU CAN'T JUST SAY IT LIKE THAT.]
[Saki Yoshida: Pfft— sorry. That was just… really confident.]
[Subaru Natsuki: "Without a doubt," he says. Not even pretending to be humble.]
Even Kenji felt a faint smirk tug at his lips. The tension eased slightly.
A notification slid across his vision.
[Multiversal Groupchat Starter Gift Distributed]
[Open through personal system interface]
[Kenji Sato: We've each received a starter gift. It appears we must open them individually.]
[Subaru Natsuki: Loot box time.]
Kenji opened his through his system.
[Starter Gift Opened: Kenji Sato]
- Video Game Invite Ticket x2
- Fusion Blade
- Summon Stone – Bahamut
- Summon Stone – Odin
He exhaled
He'd need to study mechanics, lore, usage triggers—everything. Fortunately, his primary system allowed skill acquisition through observation and reading. If he gathered enough source material, he could convert knowledge into actual capability.
[Kenji Sato: I received two summon stones, a weapon called the Fusion Blade, and two invitation tickets for video game characters.]
[Subaru Natsuki: …I'm going to need that translated out of mega nerd as im a simple nerd]
Kenji blinked once.
Right. Subaru hadn't exactly been browsing JRPG encyclopedias before getting dragged into a fantasy slum.
[Kenji Sato: They are from a series of games called Final Fantasy. The summon stones contain powerful entities. Bahamut is typically portrayed as a dragon capable of devastating city-scale destruction. Odin is a mounted war god who specializes in instant-kill strikes.]
There was a long pause.
[Subaru Natsuki: You got pocket gods.]
[Kenji Sato: That is one way to summarize it.]
[Saki Yoshida: What would you need those for?!]
Before Subaru could spiral further, another message popped up.
[Subaru Natsuki: OKAY WAIT. I opened mine.]
[Subaru Natsuki: There's a small red dinosaur staring at me. It says its name is Guilmon.]
Kenji's eyes sharpened.
[Kenji Sato: Describe it.]
[Subaru Natsuki: Red. Big head. Hazard symbol on its belly. It just bit me. Not hard. I think it likes me?]
Kenji inhaled slowly.
[Kenji Sato: That is a Digimon. A digital lifeform from another franchise. They evolve through stages and can scale dramatically in power over time. Under the right conditions, they can become entities capable of rivaling gods.]
Silence.
[Subaru Natsuki: I HAVE A WHAT.]
[Saki Yoshida: I… I opened mine too.]
[Kenji Sato: And?]
[Saki Yoshida: It's small and white with really long ears. It called itself Terriermon. It's floating. It's very cute.]
Kenji closed his eyes briefly.
Of course...the system gives two people similar abilities when theirs an infinite amount out there in fiction.
[Kenji Sato: Also a Digimon. Similar growth potential. If properly raised, it could become extremely powerful.]
[Subaru Natsuki: So wait. My dinosaur can become a god.]
[Kenji Sato: Potentially, yes.]
[Subaru Natsuki: I WON. THATS RIGHT! I WIN, VICTORY!!!]
Kenji felt the faintest stab of jealousy—but suppressed it quickly.
Digimon had terrifying long-term scaling. In many continuities, Mega-level Digimon could absolutely destroy most characters with war greymon literally spawning a sun. This was not something to dismiss.
Still… summon stones were immediate power. Digimon required growth.
His gaze softened slightly at Saki's messages.
[Saki Yoshida: Terriermon is holding my sleeve… it says we're partners.]
Good.
Kenji stood from his chair, grabbing his coat.
[Kenji Sato: For now, focus on observing your partners. Digimon grow through bonding, emotional development, and battle. Do not treat them as tools.]
[Subaru Natsuki: I would never! We're bonding already.]
He stepped toward the door, mind already shifting to Fuyuki City's layout, leylines, and looming Grail war
Outside, Fuyuki looked painfully ordinary. Cars passed. People talked. Store signs flickered. It almost made it easier to forget where he was.
That lasted until he checked his pockets.
No wallet.
He stopped walking and checked again, more thoroughly this time. Nothing. No cash, no cards, no coins.
He was broke.
Kenji clicked his tongue and looked down the street. Fine. If he couldn't buy anything, then he'd start with what cost nothing.
Information.
A library solved that.
———
The library was quiet, warm, and thankfully free. Kenji moved through the shelves until he found what he wanted and returned to a table with a small stack of books.
Foundations of Judo.
Basic Self-Defense.
Human Anatomy and Joint Control.
Introductory Sword Handling.
He opened the judo book first.
As his eyes moved over the text and diagrams, his system reacted.
[Reading recognized.]
[Judo principles understood.]
[Skill acquired: Judo Lv.1]
Kenji paused.
So that was how it worked.
Not mastery. Not instant combat expertise. But the principles settled into place cleanly—posture, grips, balance breaking, leverage, basic throw mechanics. He understood what he was looking at now in a way that was deeper than ordinary study. His body didn't automatically know how to execute everything perfectly, but the logic behind it was there.
Which meant practice would matter.
He turned more pages and kept reading.
The same thing happened with the anatomy text.
[Skill acquired: Joint Manipulation Lv.1]
Then the sword basics book.
[Skill acquired: Basic Swordsmanship Lv.1]
Kenji leaned back slightly, thinking it over.
Useful. Very useful.
He could probably start trying out the things he'd just gotten from the gift pack now if he wanted. The Fusion Blade, the summon stones, maybe even those invitation tickets. His mind drifted there for a moment.
Doomguy was an immediate thought.
If the ticket really let him offer something the invited person wanted most, then restoring his rabbit—or even his family—would be enough to put him in a very favorable position. That kind of ally would be monstrous to have.
A mentor type might be better, though. Someone more controlled. Someone who could teach instead of simply destroy.
He left that thought alone for now.
There was no rush, and he had more immediate concerns.
Money, for one.
Kenji closed the last book and stood. He understood the basics now. Not enough to call himself trained, but enough to start. Enough to use.
So he made a simple decision.
He would find some local thugs and take their money and level up skills at the same time.
Kenji returned the books to their proper places before approaching the front desk.
The librarian, a middle‑aged woman with soft eyes and rectangular glasses, looked up as he approached.
"Excuse me," Kenji said politely. "Thank you for allowing me to read without a membership. I'll return once I have the money to purchase one properly."
She blinked, then smiled warmly.
"That's no deal at all. I'm just glad a young boy like you is interested in books. Come back anytime."
Kenji gave a small nod. "I will."
He stepped outside.
Turned the corner.
And immediately spotted three men near a vending machine in a side alley—tracksuits, cigarettes, one holding a metal pipe while laughing too loudly.
Convenient.
Kenji adjusted his coat slightly and walked toward them.
One of them noticed first. "Hey, kid—"
Kenji accelerated.
He closed the distance fast, going straight for the one with the pipe. The man swung instinctively. Kenji attempted to slip inside the arc—
Too slow.
The pipe clipped his forearm.
Pain flared, but his guard held. He redirected the arm on contact, stepping in instead of back, gripping the wrist.
Twist. Leverage. Off-balance.
Joint Manipulation principles aligned with the judo grip and he forced the man downward, wrenching the wrist until the pipe clattered to the pavement.
The second thug lunged.
Kenji shifted, seized the man's sleeve and collar, and executed a basic hip throw.
It wasn't clean.
But it worked.
The thug slammed onto his back, air bursting from his lungs.
The first one recovered enough to swing a fist. Kenji stepped in tight, deflecting the punch with his forearm and striking sharply at the man's throat—right at the Adam's apple.
Not enough to crush.
Just enough.
The man gagged and dropped to his knees.
Kenji followed with a short knee to the face.
Down.
The third thug froze for half a second.
Then ran.
Kenji glanced at the pipe on the ground.
He picked it up, weighed it once in his hand, then looked at the fleeing back.
"…And for the finale!"
He hurled it.
The pipe spun once through the air and cracked against the back of the man's head. The thug pitched forward and collapsed face-first onto the pavement.
Kenji blinked.
Then—
"SCORE!!!"
His voice echoed slightly in the alley.
He cleared his throat and quickly walked over, checking pulses first.
All alive.
The one with the pipe was groaning. The runner was unconscious but breathing steadily. The one he kneed was out cold.
Good.
He crouched and checked their pockets efficiently.
Wallets.
Cash.
Loose bills folded messily.
When he finished counting, he paused.
"…117,924 yen."
He stared at the number for a moment.
That was significantly more than expected.
He neatly arranged the three men against the wall so they weren't sprawled across the alley like corpses. He double‑checked the one he'd hit with the pipe—minor bleeding, but stable. Skull likely intact. He hadn't thrown it with supernatural strength, just timing and angle.
He stood, slipping the money into his coat.
Technically, they swung first.
Still.
He looked down at them for a moment, expression neutral.
Kenji adjusted his sleeve, rolled his shoulder once to test the soreness from the blocked strike, and stepped out of the alley back into the perfectly normal streets of Fuyuki City—now with enough money to operate properly.
He walked through the shopping district and picked up practical clothes—neutral colors, durable fabric, nothing flashy. A second coat. Gloves. A change of shoes better suited for movement.
57,921 yen later, he stepped out of the last store with a small bag in hand.
Next was food.
He chose simple, efficient options—rice, vegetables, protein, bottled water. Enough to last without looking suspicious. He paid in cash, expression calm, movements unhurried.
When he finally returned to the apartment, he placed everything neatly on the table and exhaled.
Still had a decent amount left.
Good.
He unfolded a newspaper he'd picked up on the way back, spread it across the table, and grabbed the pen. As he read, he circled dates, locations, small incidents—fires, unexplained gas leaks, missing persons reports.
He cross-referenced them with what he remembered.
Leyline activity. Church appearances
After about thirty minutes of quiet analysis, he leaned back slightly.
A couple weeks.
Maybe less.
He was close to the Fourth Holy Grail War.
He opened the groupchat.
Saki was online.
[Kenji Sato: It's been a few hours. What is everyone doing?]
There was a brief pause before she responded.
[Saki Yoshida: Oh! Hi, Kenji. I've just been talking with Terriermon.]
[Kenji Sato: I was out shopping for necessities. How are you two doing?]
[Saki Yoshida: Terriermon is really kind… and so cute. I was thinking about buying dresses for him. I think he'd look adorable.]
Kenji paused.
He distinctly remembered Terriermon going through something similar in the anime.
[Kenji Sato: You should ask Terriermon if he's comfortable with that first.]
A moment passed.
[Kenji Sato: Digimon are individuals. Not accessories.]
There was a short delay.
[Saki Yoshida: …You're right. I'll ask him. Thank you.]
The typing indicator flickered.
[Saki Yoshida: I'll talk to him properly. See you later!]
She logged off.
Kenji stared at the screen for a second before closing the chat.
"…She's such a nice girl," he muttered quietly.
He returned to the newspaper and finalized his timeline notes.
If he was right, he had days—at most weeks—before the war began. That wasn't much. Servants weren't street thugs. Even with summons in reserve, relying on them blindly would be stupid.
He opened his system interface.
Skills:
- Street Fighting – Lv.4
- Judo – Lv.3
- Joint Manipulation – Lv.3
- Basic Swordsmanship – Lv.1
He blinked.
"Street Fighting level four?"
He stared at it.
Then thought about the alley.
Three opponents. Improvised weapon. Fast escalation. Controlled damage.
"…I guess that counts...so even trusting and self teaching works"
It wasn't formal technique. It was instinct, adaptability, targeting weaknesses. The system must have registered the real combat application.
He shrugged lightly.
"Whatever. Skills are skills."
Still, brute combat wouldn't be enough. The Grail War involved strategy, sabotage, poisons, healing, preparation.
His gaze shifted toward another stack of books he'd set aside and grabbed one close by
Advanced field stabilization. Herbal interactions with modern pharmaceuticals. Blood loss estimation without equipment. Improvised splints using everyday materials. Anti-inflammatory plant derivatives native to Japan.
His system pulsed softly as knowledge layered over what he already possessed.
He already had Symptoms Diagnosis,
Basic Anatomy, and First Aid level 10
The new material didn't grant him beginner skills this time.
It refined what was already there.
[First Aid – Lv.11]
The other additions followed more slowly.
[Herbal Identification – Lv.1]
[Toxin Recognition – Lv.1]
[Emergency Field Treatment – Lv.1]
Those were new branches—still basic, still requiring hands-on practice—but now supported by his Lv.10 foundation in anatomy and diagnosis.
By the time the sun had fully set, the table was covered in organized notes.
Kenji leaned back, exhaling quietly.
This was progress.
If the Grail War started soon, he wouldn't just be a combatant. He'd be capable of patching himself up. Treating poison. Stabilizing allies.
That mattered.
He opened the groupchat.
Several messages from Subaru were waiting.
[Subaru Natsuki: I ALMOST DIED.]
Kenji straightened slightly.
[Subaru Natsuki: There's this crazy lady named Elsa. She smiles while trying to slice people open like it's customer service.]
[Subaru Natsuki: If Guilmon hadn't stepped in I'd be dead. Seriously dead.]
Kenji read that carefully.
Elsa.
So that confrontation had already happened.
[Subaru Natsuki: Also there's this elf girl. Silver hair. Purple eyes. Emilia. She's… amazing.]
Kenji's expression softened faintly.
[Kenji Sato: I wish you the best. I hope you and Emilia have beautiful children.]
There was a long pause.
Then—
[Subaru Natsuki: WHAT—]
[Subaru Natsuki: WE JUST MET—]
He reread Subaru's earlier wording.
I'd be dead. Seriously dead.
Something about it sat wrong.
Elsa was not the type to fail cleanly. Especially since he dies in thier first encounter and multiple...shes a skilled assassin. And Subaru's tone carried something under the exaggeration.
Kenji's fingers hovered over the screen.
His gaze hardened slightly.
He typed slowly.
[Kenji Sato: Subaru.]
A pause.
[Kenji Sato: When you say you would be dead…]
Another pause.
He exhaled quietly before finishing.
[Kenji Sato: Have you already died once?]
His thumb lingered.
Then he added the words he had been dreading to type.
[Kenji Sato: …Have you experienced something called Return by Death?]