P.O.V. Cristóbal Xehanort
As I cross the portal, I appear in what can only be described as a vast plain. Looking far into the distance, I spot a massive, giant wall, and rising above it is a tower that looks like it is made of ivory, extending infinitely into the sky. If I remember correctly, that is the Tower of Babel, the building that seals the dungeon and serves as a meeting place for the gods. Inside that grand tower live the highest-ranking gods, like Freya. It is also where meetings are held, high-tier equipment is sold, and, above all, it houses the entrance to the Dungeon, the zone where monsters are constantly and endlessly born.
A smile spreads across my face. Because of my awakening, my body is able to absorb the mana of defeated enemies to grow stronger; it is basically gaining EXP from defeating monsters. What does this mean? If I join a Familia, I will not only obtain a Falna, which will massively increase my physical strength, but I will also gain EXP from them, which will raise my Wanderer class.
While walking toward one of the massive gates, I check my gear one last time to make sure everything is in order. I am wearing a large, gray, hooded cloak that covers my entire body. I have two short swords and two daggers concealed underneath for combat use. These are weapons forged by my father, a D-rank blacksmith. They are not the best in the world, but they are clearly better than your average weapon here. I also have a leather chest plate, gauntlets, and greaves that were a birthday gift from my mother. She said she wanted me to be prepared for anything when I finally became an Adventurer.
With a smile, I adjust my hood and my backpack and begin walking toward the city.
Once at the gate, a pair of guards stop me and start talking. I can... understand them... though the words feel strange. It is like hearing someone speak in Japanese or German; you know what it means because your mind automatically translates it after hearing it before, but you are still aware that the original language is completely foreign.
"Halt. Where do you come from, and what do you intend to do in Orario?" The guard, wearing a sort of toga with an elephant symbol on his chest, stops me. If I remember correctly, aside from being beast tamers, the Ganesha Familia is one of the groups in charge of the town's security.
"I came with the intention of joining a Familia, particularly the Loki Familia if possible. I heard that there is a recruitment drive today and I would like to participate," I say calmly, bowing my head politely.
While my head is down, I cannot help but feel that my mouth was moving on its own. It is as if it wanted to express my intentions and speak normally, but the words came out in a way I could not fully recognize, even though I knew I was saying exactly what I wanted to say.
The two guards look at each other before gesturing toward a tower, and with that, the massive gate begins to open slowly.
"In that case, welcome to Orario, and we wish you the best of luck. And if you don't manage to join, there are always other Familias willing to take you in," they say, letting me pass. I nod and thank them kindly for their gesture.
While walking through the great city, I realize that I have no idea where the Loki Familia's headquarters might be. So, acting like a proper newcomer, I start asking for directions. I move through the streets and alleys, and finally, following a final set of directions, I head toward the Loki Familia's estate, tucked between two narrow buildings.
While walking down the dim passage between the buildings, I notice that the masonry is quite poorly made—well, poorly made compared to the modern construction methods back in my world.
The light and the bustling noise make me exit the alley, only to be greeted by a massive estate filled with hundreds of thousands of people. They are all wearing extravagant clothes, carrying medieval weapons, and wearing high-quality gear. There are people of all types and races: men and women with animal features, shorter folks, burly men with thick beards, and even scantily clad women with dark skin. I simply walk around the area.
I look at everything in awe while making sure to dodge the guests who almost bump into me, keeping a low profile as I weave from side to side. It seems there is no line; in fact, there is a table where an unnamed member wearing a suit with the Loki Familia's jester emblem is registering people. I slowly walk over, and he looks up with clear boredom and disinterest.
"Name and age," he asks in a tired, monotonous voice, likely from having repeated the phrase over and over again.
"Cristóbal Xehanort, 15 years old." I say it calmly. The guy looks up to scan me from top to bottom, writes down a few things, and then hands me a slip of paper with a number.
After receiving it, I walk around the area, looking for a quiet place to wait. Near the entrance to the grand estate, I can spot a table where Finn Deimne—the pride of the Pallums and the captain of the Familia—is seated. There is also Riveria Ljos Alf, the strongest mage in Orario and a supposed princess, and finally, Gareth Landrock, the largest dwarf I have ever seen in my life. He is basically a giant dwarf.
I chuckle to myself while looking for a quiet spot away from the crowds to wait for my turn. I sit down, search through my backpack, and pull out a manga. Yes, they still exist in my world. However, even though the stories are not like the ones from my original world, there is still an occasional decent one.
So, while waiting, I start reading from where I left off in the story...
...
..
.
Interesting. The protagonist really had to kill his best friend... I didn't think the author would dare, especially since he was being controlled and all. But that death gave him the power-up he needed to defeat one of the antagonists. Let's see how it goes...
"Wait, why is he crying after killing that guy? I don't understand the words. Do you know what it says?"
I am suddenly surprised to realize that I have someone standing right behind me.
I jump slightly, causing my book to drop. A slim, slender figure with curves in all the right places picks up the manga and starts looking through it. Her eyes shine with childlike excitement, and she beams with a radiant smile as she looks at the pages. Her outfit consists of a simple white cloth that covers her small bust but leaves everything else exposed—her collarbone and toned, slightly muscular abdomen. She wears a sort of loose, long skirt that does not hide the red swimwear underneath. She is barefoot and does not seem to care about modesty or being seen, because when she finally turns her face back to me, she gives me a playful smile and winks.
"Hehehe, have you already fallen in love with me? I know, I'm beautiful!" she says, puffing out her chest as she opens the book and shows me a page. "But come on, tell me! Why is he crying and holding his body? Weren't they enemies? Weren't they fighting and throwing cool powers at each other? Where did you get this book? Can you give it to me?"
This was one of the Amazon twins, Tiona Hiryute. Unlike her sister, who is crazy about Finn, she is a dreamy girl who is much easier to talk to, so I cannot help but relax. Unlike Bete Loga, the werewolf, she is much more approachable and kind.
"This is called a manga. There are plenty of them where I come from. It is in a language that only people from my home speak, which is why you can't understand the text," I say, asking for the book back. She hands it over with an adorable pout.
"Awww, I wanted to know what the story is about. I really like the drawings. It's like the story of the Argonaut, but this one has pictures, which makes it even more fun to watch." Right after she says this, we check my number, and I notice I haven't been called yet.
"Well... until they call my number, I still have some time. I can tell you a little bit about the story if you'd like," I say, putting the book away, which makes her look sad until her eyes light up when I pull out a different one.
"Oh, it's just like the other one! Are there more?" she asks, excited, quickly sitting down next to me.
"Manga are divided into volumes. The one I was reading earlier was Volume 10. This is the very first one, Volume 1" I say, opening the first page. "Unlike normal books, these are read from right to left."
I open the first few pages, which contain plenty of text alongside some background artwork.
"Wow, they are even read differently!" She studies the illustrations in great detail, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I don't understand what it says... Can you translate it for me?"
"It's a lot of information, but I can summarize it for you if you want. The first few pages introduce the world, how it works, the backstory, and a few other details."
"Great, tell me everything, I want to know! It's the first time I've been able to see what's in a book and not just read words. It's as if my own imagination has come to life," she says, excited. I... I cannot help but see a reflection of myself at eight years old, reading my first manga with excitement and asking my parents to translate the words I didn't understand every five minutes... Heh.
"Heh... okay... let's see..." I say, placing my finger on the first page at the first text bubble. "In the world of Akroz, the Demon King, the greatest evil of all, was defeated by a Hero... this marked the first birth of the great Hero of Light..."
I begin narrating calmly, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Tione smiling in a childlike and energetic way at the picture.
"After the victory, the Hero and the Priestess brought a son into the world... this son..."
[End of Chapter]