2. Communication happens via thought, auto-translated into whatever language the recipient understands.
3. Anyone in the group can send the admin a trade request to initiate a purposeful cross-world transaction.
...
As the rules displayed, a surge of knowledge rushed into her brain like a flood.
Concepts like multiverse, alternate dimensions, world points, and cross-realm tradesthey all made sudden, terrifying sense.
It was mind-blowing.
But the more she understood, the more unreal it all felt.
"Connects to other worlds?"
Touka instinctively slapped her hand over her mouth, barely stopping herself from gasping out loud.
Her pupils shrank. Her heart rate skyrocketed.
To her, the world of ghouls and humans was already complicated and cruel enough.
And now this?
This thing was telling her there were countless other worlds beyond the caf, beyond the 20th Ward, beyond even the CCG's reach?
And shejust an S-rated ghoul trying to survive
had somehow been pulled into a chat group that let her talk to beings from other universes?
It was crazier than being surrounded by a hundred Special Class Investigators.
Her chest tightened as her heart pounded wildly.
Blood rushed to her head.
She forced herself to breathe.
"Phew calm down"
She took a few deep breaths, grounding herself.
Her eyes scanned the unfamiliar rules again.
Reading them over gave everything a terrifying sense of reality.
This mysterious groupit shattered everything she thought she knew.
It was like someone had handed her the key to a door.
And behind that door infinite possibilities, and infinite unknowns.
Fear. Curiosity.
And maybe just a tiny spark of hope.
It all stirred inside her.
She gave up on trying to explain it to the Manager for now. There was no way she couldnot when the group itself had the power to block her words.
It made sense.
Something this powerful would naturally come with rules she couldn't break.
For now, she'd observe.
She needed to see who else was in this group.
What they talked about.
What exactly these "trades" meant.
Until she figured it all out, staying silent and alert was her best bet.
She took a breath, focused
and tried to mentally connect with the chat section of the screen.
Elsewhere, In a Different World
Night had fallen over the mountainlocked town of Itomori.
Far from the chaos of the cities, only the sounds of insects, wind, and the gentle ripple of the lake could be heard.
Halfway up the mountain, the Miyamizu Shrine glowed with light.
The air was solemn.
A sacred ritual was underway.
Tonight was the formal succession ceremonyMitsuha Miyamizu was becoming the shrine's next priestess.
Clean mats were laid across the shrine courtyard.
Villagers in traditional clothing knelt quietly on either side, their expressions serious and respectful.
At the center, a bonfire burned brightlycasting flickering light over the figure of the dancing miko.
Chapter 841: Mitsuha Miyamizu
Mitsuha Miyamizu stood in her red-and-white shrine maiden outfit, elegant and composed.
A delicate gold crown sat atop her head, and her long black hair was tied neatly back with a strip of white ceremonial paper.
Every movement she made was graceful and precise, carrying a rhythm that felt instinctualsomething passed down through generations.
In her hand was a Kagura Suzu.
Her feet moved to the rhythm of an ancient dance.
She chanted softly under her breathwords sacred and timeless.
With every spin, every jingle of the bell, it felt like she was connecting heaven and earth, offering peace to the gods.
The firelight flickered across her young but focused face.
Her clear brown eyes were calm, almost serene.
At the head of the gathering sat her grandmother, Hitoha Miyamizu, watching with a complex gazepart proud, part quietly anxious.
Next to her, Mitsuha's little sister Yotsuha knelt wide-eyed, her expression full of awe as she stared up at her big sister.
The dance neared its end.
Mitsuha's movements slowed, becoming more solemn.
She stepped toward the shrine altar.
There, a ceremonial setup awaited:
A spotless ceramic bowl.
A bowl of freshly steamed rice.
This was the final step of the ritualthe most sacred part: making kuchikamizake, a traditional offering to the gods.
It wasn't just symbolic. It carried the spiritual legacy and prayers of over 800 years of Miyamizu shrine maidens.
Mitsuha took a deep breath, her face serious and focused.
She picked up a small clump of warm rice and placed it into her mouth, ready to chew.
Tradition called for her to chew the rice into a paste, then spit it into the bowlmixing it with saliva and prayer, to be sealed and left to ferment.
Weird? Definitely. But it had always been done this way.
Just as her teeth were about to close and she fully surrendered herself to the sacred moment
[Ding! You've joined the Trade Chat Group!]
The alert rang out like a thunderclap inside her mind.
At the same time, a faintly glowing blue screen appeared in midair, right in front of hercompletely out of nowhere.
On it, in bold letters: [Trade Chat Group]
"Wha?!"
Mitsuha froze.
The rice in her mouth nearly fell out.
She stared at the floating screen in complete disbelief.
What... what is this?!
A divine vision? Or some kind of evil interference?
Her strange reaction didn't go unnoticed.
The kneeling villagers glanced at each other, confused.
Grandmother Hitoha's gaze suddenly sharpened.
"Mitsuha."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried weight. It cut through the crackling fire and the panic rising in Mitsuha's chest.
It was like a splash of cold water. Mitsuha snapped back to reality.
She forced herself to ignore the glowing screen and shoved her racing heart back into place.
Breathe. Focus. The rice.
She started chewing againslowly, deliberately.
Her movements looked natural, as if the pause had just been part of the performance.
She didn't dare glance at the screen again. Or meet her grandmother's eyes.
She just kept her head down, quietly finishing the ritual.
She gently spat the rice paste into the bowl.
Her body moved fluidly again.
But inside, she was shaking. Her fingertips trembled. Cold sweat soaked her back.
At last, the ritual was done.
Mitsuha placed the sealed bowl of kuchikamizake on the altar with reverence.
The villagers broke into cheers and applause.
"Well done, Mitsuha!"
"The Miyamizu Shrine is in good hands!"
"You did great!"
Mitsuha bowed slowly, keeping a calm smile on her face.
But her thoughts were still hijacked by that floating blue screen.
Once the ceremony ended and the crowd began to disperse, she walked toward the shrine's inner room, her legs feeling like jelly under her grandmother's approving gaze.
She had barely opened the door when a small blur launched itself at her and wrapped around her waist.
"You were amazing, Sis! That dance was so coolit was like watching a real goddess!"
Yotsuha looked up at her, eyes sparkling with admiration.
That sudden burst of affection eased some of the unease in Mitsuha's chest.
She smiled weakly, ruffling her sister's hair.
"Thanks, Yotsuha. But I still need more practice."
Her eyes flicked forward instinctively.
The blue screen was still there. Still floating in front of her.
"Yotsuha."
She hesitated, then crouched down and pointed at the space ahead.
"Can you see anything weird in front of me? Like a glowing blue box or something?"
Yotsuha tilted her head and leaned in.
"Hm"
She looked carefully, even waved her hand through the air.
Then shook her head, puzzled.
"A weird box? Nope. There's nothing there. Just air."
Her face scrunched up in confusion.
""
Mitsuha didn't respond.
A chill crept up her back.
Yotsuha couldn't see it.
Just like during the ritualit was only her.
This wasn't her imagination.
Then what was it?
And why her?
"Sis? You okay? You're looking kinda pale."
Yotsuha tugged her sleeve, worried.
"Ahno, it's nothing!"
Mitsuha blinked, forcing a smile.
"Probably just tired from dancing."
"You go ahead and take your bath. I'll clean up and join you in a bit."
"Okay!"
Yotsuha nodded and skipped away.
Now alone, Mitsuha leaned back against the wall and slid slowly down to the floor.
The silence of the shrine felt heavier than usualalmost eerie.
Her eyes went back to the screen.
Still there.
Still glowing.
[Trade Chat Group]
The words shimmered, almost like they had a will of their own.
"Is this... a sign from the gods?"
She muttered, voice barely audible in the stillness.
"Or some kind of summons?"
As someone raised in worship, she instinctively leaned toward the divine explanation.
But whispers of strange ideasmultiple universes, infinite worldsstarted creeping into her mind.
And with them came a wave of uncertainty and fear.
~~~
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Chapter 842: Double Date with the Author and the Editor...
She cautiously reached out and touched the glowing screen
Her finger passed right through, just as she expected.
The unknown is always scary.
Especially when it comes in a way only you can see.
Mitsuha Miyamizu pressed her lips together and muttered to herself,
"Well whatever this is, I'm not gonna be scared of it."
The venue for Kasumi Utako's new book launch.
The last excited fan finally got their signed copy and left, beaming with joy. The once noisy event hall gradually calmed down.
Staff moved in, efficiently packing everything up.
Backstage.
Kasumigaoka Utaha let out a long breath, finally feeling the tension from the whole afternoon start to lift. She rolled her shoulder and rubbed her sore neck.
Then, without hesitation, she took off her hat and mask, dropping the disguise and revealing a face so stunning, it could outshine any spotlight.
Now that she was out of the public eye, her wine-red eyes revealed real exhaustion and a bit of anticipation.
She scanned the crowd and instantly locked eyes with the one person who'd been sitting quietly in the front row cornerRei Ao.
She practically jogged over in heels, her skirt catching a graceful arc mid-stride, wearing an apologetic but familiar smile.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Rei Ao-kun. Dealing with fans is way more exhausting than writing."
Rei Ao stood up, smiling gently, and naturally took her hat and mask from her.
"It wasn't that long," he replied. "But you"
He reached into his pocket and smoothly pulled out a pack of tissues.
Tugging one free, he gently dabbed the sweat from her temple like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"You've had a tough day."
The warmth of his fingers through the tissue, and that calm, focused look in his eyesUtaha felt her heart skip a beat.
Her cheeks flushed pink.
His fresh, clean scent was so close, it made her a little dizzy.
And that handsome face, those lips curled into a gentle smile, were right there
A wave of emotion surged up.
She leaned in on her toes, red eyes shimmering, lips unconsciously drifting toward his
But just before their moment could peak
"Well, no wonder you bolted faster than a rabbit right after the signing! Didn't even say hi to me, your editor! You were in such a rush to plug into your little human power bank, huh?"
A snarky, teasing female voice rang out behind them, and the entire mood popped like a bubble.
Utaha jumped back like she'd been shocked, her face turning beet red.
"Ahem"
She cleared her throat, flustered, and turned around.
It was her editorSonoko Machidaleaning casually against the doorframe with arms crossed, wearing the world's most smug "caught you in the act" smirk.
Her eyes flicked between Utaha and Rei Ao, absolutely eating up the scene.
"SSonoko-san! What are you doing here?" Utaha asked, equal parts embarrassed and annoyed.
"What am I doing here?" Sonoko rolled her eyes dramatically and strolled in with flair, fixing Utaha with a mock-scolding glare.
"My dear bestselling author, you invited a total dreamboat like Rei Ao-kun to cheer you on and didn't even think to tell me?"
She turned to Rei Ao, her expression switching from stern to sparkly in a heartbeat, arms spreading like she was about to pounce.
"Rei Ao-kun! I want hugs and kisses and a piggyback too~!"
"Sonoko-san!!"
Utaha instantly jumped in front of Rei Ao like a cat guarding her food dish.
"Could you not?!"
"And FYI, I'm not that desperate!"
She was so embarrassed she wanted to dig a hole and hide.
Rei Ao just laughed at the chaosone of them flustered and defensive, the other totally shameless.
With calm confidence, he reached out and casually wrapped an arm around each of their waists.
Both women froze.
"Okay, okay," he said with a soothing but firm tone. "The launch went great. It deserves a celebration. Sonoko, you worked hard too."
He looked at both of them, lips curled in a charming little smirk.
"If we're all free, then why wait? How about the three of us go on a date this afternoon?"
"A a group date?!"
Both women practically shouted in sync, wide-eyed. Then they glanced at each otherand saw the same surprise and weird awkwardness reflected back.
Utaha's thoughts: A date with Sonoko-san tagging along? That's seriously awkward. And what even is this supposed to be?
Sonoko's thoughts: A date with my author and her maybe-boyfriend? This situation is such a mess But wow, Rei Ao-kun's arm around my waist? 10/10, would recommend.
Rei Ao didn't give them a chance to say no.
With a gentle but firm tug, he steered both women toward the exit.
"Let's get food first. There's a new French place nearbyheard it's great."
Utaha followed, still blushing furiously, casting him a glare.
But in the end, she sighed and muttered under her breath, "Such a control freak"
Sonoko, meanwhile, bounced back fast.
Her trademark mischievous grin returned as she leaned in just a bit closer to Rei Ao and threw Utaha a cheeky look.
"Well, well, Utaha-chan~ Looks like your cozy little date just got hijacked. But don't worry, big sis will take very good care of Rei Ao-kun~"
Utaha: "..."
She had a sinking feeling that the chaos of this book launch day was far from over.
