The brown-haired woman's finger finally squeezed the trigger in a fit of anger. She was fed up with that sly smile from the white-haired woman.
But—
BANG!
…it wasn't a bullet that came out.
From the barrel of her pistol shot out colorful ribbons, shimmering confetti that burst cheerfully into the cosmic void. Little pop sounds, like party crackers, echoed as bits of paper fluttered and fell slowly, catching the starlight.
"…Huh?" she froze, face a mixture of shock and panic. "What the hell is this?!"
The blonde blinked, narrowing her eyes in confusion. Her weapon was still trained, but clearly she hadn't expected this.
The white-haired woman—only smiled wider, even letting out a soft chuckle.
"Ohhh… turns out your gun can double as party entertainment. How unique."
"DON'T YOU TALK NONSENSE, BITCH!" the woman roared, waving her pistol that continued to spit useless ribbons.
Then a cheerful voice rang through the cosmic space. Light, upbeat, almost childlike, but coming from every direction.
"Hehe~! Sorry, sorry! I can't allow there to be the first blood in this room! If you guys start shooting, the vibe will be ruined!"
The brown-haired woman snorted roughly, jaw clamped tight.
"Who are you?! Come out, you damn bastard!"
"Calm down! I'm the Multiverse Chat Group system! Nice to meet you all~! 🎉"
The voice sounded bubbly, nearly singing.
"I'm here to make sure you don't kill each other in the first five minutes. Seriously, the first meeting becoming a funeral? You guys need to be friends first!"
The blonde tilted her head, still pointing her gun warily, scanning the surroundings.
"So this voice… dragged us here?"
"Exactlyyy~! 🎊 But don't worry, I'm not evil. Think of me as your event host. I love watching people meet for the first time… it's adorable!"
The white-haired woman chuckled lightly, clearly enjoying the absurdity.
"So this is it… apparently our host is very cheerful."
Meanwhile, the woman who had just pulled the trigger kept roaring, stamping on the falling party ribbons.
"I swear I'll make you come out of hiding, you tacky clown!!!"
On the other side, the black-haired teenager could only stare blankly. Colorful ribbons clung to his shoulders while his head buzzed with questions.
"…What… is all this…?"
The ribbons began to dissolve into the air. The cheerful voice still echoed, then slowly grew clearer, as if drawing nearer.
> "Alright, to be polite, I'll give you something to look at~!"
In the center of the cosmic room, light gathered. Star-particles danced and fused until they formed a tiny figure.
Standing before them now was a shimmering silhouette shaped like an elementary school child. Small body, features faint but with a broad grin. It moved lively, unable to stay still—like a kid too excited to play.
"Ta-daaa! ✨ Introducing— I am the Multiverse Chat Group system! You can call me… hmmm, whatever you want? I'm not fussy about names~"
Ritsuka's eyes went wide. "A child…?"
Ange frowned, still keeping her weapon pointed. "Don't be fooled. That's surely something non-human."
The brown-haired woman hissed, still trembling with rage.
"You damn clown… even takes the shape of a kid. You think this is funny, huh?!"
"Cute, right? Right?!" the light spun merrily, voice cheerful. "I deliberately chose this form so no one would be scared of me. If I'd appeared as a monster, you'd all panic immediately."
The white-haired woman only narrowed her eyes, then let out a soft chuckle.
"Interesting… so this 'little glowing child' dragged us all to this strange place. So why did you bring us here?"
The small light hopped into the air, floating above them like a living star.
"Okayee, here's the deal: the four of you come from different worlds. Yup—different realities, different rules, different histories. But now you're all… connected through me. Think of it as… joining a super-exclusive chat group! 🎉"
Ritsuka fell silent. The words pierced his head.
"Different worlds? You mean… we're not from the same place?"
"Exactly! Look at your faces—they're all so different. One stubborn war girl, one impatient street tough, one sly businesswoman… uhh, I won't go on~ and one more…"
The light spun around Ritsuka teasingly.
"…a nice normal kid who has a perfectly ordinary life from a VERY normal world. Hehehe~"
Ritsuka gaped, cold sweat dripping down his cheek.
"…This… is insane…"
But in the eyes of the other three women there was only a mix of anger, suspicion, and wariness. The mood was far from peaceful, even after the truth had been revealed.
And the little light just hovered, laughing softly, as if watching a game that had just begun.
"Different worlds…? What kind of nonsense is that!"
The brown-haired woman roared, lifting her pistol again.
"I don't care if you're light, a system, or whatever—you won't get my trust until you give real proof!"
The blonde snorted, weapon still gripped tight.
"Agreed. Different worlds? That's a trick to make us drop our guard. If you think I'll swallow that lie, you're dead wrong."
The black-haired teen swallowed, taking a hesitant step.
"But… is that possible? I mean, this place clearly isn't ordinary. If it's not different worlds… then what is it…?"
The white-haired woman in the corner said nothing. She sat half-reclined, that thin smile on her lips, eyes sharp and studying the tiny light with deep curiosity. As if measuring whether what she saw was a threat… or an opportunity.
The child-shaped light gave a little chuckle and spun once in the air.
"Yare-yare~ you all are so stubborn. Fine, to make things nicer, let's make this room… more comfortable!"
A pop! like a balloon burst sounded. Instantly, four soft white sofas appeared around them, floating slightly above the cosmic floor.
"Please sit! A chat group should be for talking, not killing!"
Before anyone could react, the light spun again. The weapons in the brown-haired woman's and the blonde's hands shimmered—then vanished into thin air.
The brown-haired woman screamed in fury. "WHAT—?! My gun!!"
The blonde gaped, immediately checking her waist. "You… you dare touch my gun?!"
"Hush hush~ don't be mad. Weapons are not allowed in the chat room! That's a basic rule! If you kill each other here, I'll be the one who has to clean up, you know!"
The brown-haired woman slammed her fist down on the sofa, face flushed with rage.
"You damn clown! Give me back my gun right now or—"
The blonde cut her off in a cool voice. "Or what? You can't even pull the trigger now."
Suddenly, the two women glared at one another, ready to lunge despite being unarmed.
Ritsuka hurried to mediate. "Hey, hey, please! If we're trapped here, it's better to hear them out first. If we keep fighting, we won't get any answers!"
The light clapped its tiny hands, voice bright.
"Yaaay~ finally someone talking sensibly! Come on, sit down. We're just starting introductions and you're already giving me a headache."
The white-haired woman—the only one calm from the start—finally sat gracefully on a sofa. Her thin smile didn't change, but her eyes shone with interest.
"…It seems this game will be far more intriguing than I imagined."
Four glowing white sofas now circled the empty space. The child-shaped light hovered in the middle, hands on its hips like a kindergarten teacher facing rowdy kids.
> "Now! Since the weapons have been confiscated and the seats are ready, it's time for introductions! 🎉 You should know who you're chatting with, right?"
The brown-haired woman still snorted, arms crossed and scowling.
"I'm not playing this stupid game."
The blonde only looked coldly, though she finally sat, back straight and alert.
"A waste of time…"
The white-haired woman smiled faintly, crossing her legs elegantly. "Introductions, hm? Very well—let's listen."
The black-haired teen sat the most awkwardly, cold sweat still at his temples.
"A-are we really supposed to…?"
"YOU MUST! ✨" the light pointed straight at him, eyes sparkling like Christmas lights.
"Okay, first turn goes to you! The innocent, confused, normal one in this group who was noble enough to step forward to protect others. Come on, introduce yourself!"
"Ehh?!" Ritsuka flinched. "W-Why me first?! Wouldn't it be better if they—?"
"Nope! You're the easiest to manage, so you go first. Quick—say your name, age, and… whatever, your hobby. Think of it like a school event!"
Ritsuka's face reddened as he bowed his head nervously.
"…M-my name is Fujimaru Ritsuka. I'm… seventeen. And… hobby… hmm… I don't really have a specific hobby, I guess."
"Great~! Everyone, give a round of applause for Fujimaru-kun~ 👏👏👏"
Silence. No one clapped—only the white-haired woman's soft chuckle signaled she enjoyed the chaos.
The brown-haired woman growled. "What a waste of time…"
"Okay okay, next: the fiercest-looking face who almost turned this place into a red carpet of blood. You!"
The woman blinked. "Seriously?!"
"Yup! Name, age, and hobby. Or I'll make your gun spit fireworks again—or turn your gun pink."
"Don't you dare," she snorted, finally answering in a rough tone.
"…Revy. Age? Hah, forgot. Hobby? Shooting people who piss me off."
"Ehhh? Only Revy? No full name? Come on! Everyone has a full name!"
The brown-haired woman huffed, eyes piercing the little light.
"My full name? Rebecca Lee. Happy? But if anyone dares call me 'Rebecca,' I swear their teeth will scatter across the floor. So note it well: I'm Revy. Period."
The small light clapped, still cheerful.
"Ooooh~ got it! But don't worry, I promise not to call you Rebecca again. Revy sounds cooler~ 🎶"
Revy just snorted and leaned back on the sofa, still bristling with anger.
Ange snorted disdainfully, but before she could speak, the light pointed at her.
"Next, the stubborn blonde~ let's hear from you!"
Ange turned her face away, shoulders tense. She sighed, then spoke coolly and briefly:
"…I don't believe any of this nonsense. But if you insist: my name is Ange. Just Ange."
The little light spun happily, then stopped right in front of her. Its smile widened, eyes gleaming as if it knew something deeper.
"Ehh? Just Ange? What a liar—I actually know your real name… Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi, princess of the kingdom that cast you out."
The air froze.
Ange's eyes widened, her blood seemed to stop. Her hand reflexively clenched where her weapon had been.
"How do you… know that name?" she whispered, voice trembling between anger and panic.
Revy snorted, glancing suspiciously.
"Hoh… so you're a princess? No wonder you act so high and mighty. Heh, I'm tired of blue blood."
Ange shot back a glare, face reddening with a mix of fury and shame.
"Shut up!"
Meanwhile, the white-haired woman only laughed softly, covering her lips with her fingers.
"Fufu… very interesting. So this little light-child isn't just a cheerful clown, but also a spy of secrets. Fascinating… very fascinating."
Ritsuka looked from Ange to the little light, bewildered.
"W-what do you mean… you can see their pasts?"
The small light hovered and spun, voice unchanged in its glee.
"Yup~! I know everything about you. Who you are, where you came from, even the wounds you hide. So don't lie, okay? But relax, I'm not your enemy! I'm just your chat host, so there are no secrets among new friends~ 🎉"
The atmosphere tightened. Ange sat rigid, Revy glared with loathing, the brown-haired woman smiled sardonically, and Ritsuka could only remain silent, heart pounding.
Finally, the light floated around the white-haired woman, evidently most curious about her.
"Ahhh, and last but not least. The woman who kept smiling even though she was nearly shot. I like your aura! Your turn!"
The woman only laughed softly, then leaned back on the sofa smoothly.
"…Koko. Koko Hekmatyar. That's enough, for now."
The light spun happily in the air, shining even brighter.
"Perfect! 🎉 Now we're officially the Multiverse Chat Group! Four people from four different worlds, brought together by fate, and… ready to share stories together!"
Ritsuka swallowed hard, body still tense. Ange remained cold, Revy still irked, and Koko still smiling with keen interest.
This strange journey had only just begun.