3 bar menu

A New Otherworlder Bursts Onto the Scene – Part 04

The message had landed in the inbox of the Different World Verification Channel admin just two hours ago. Typically, messages with subjects like From a New Otherworlder were dismissed as fake information.

Being Japanese, the admin found it easier to gather information on the Rift Connecting to Another World Event that occurred in Japan. While international users were more enthusiastic about matters related to the other world, the language barrier impeded information gathering.

As a result, the channel gained a reputation for having the fastest information on the other world. However, this also led to a flood of tips, with nearly 99 percent of them being false information.

The New Otherworlder story, in particular, was a classic, typically involving someone claiming they were from another world, but were actually just delusional people. Most of their messages were them bragging about having some kind of powerful ability. They were all so similar to each other that the admin couldn’t help but think how weird it was to see so much unoriginality.

Surely, the admin thought, today’s message would also be another fake info. Nevertheless, he decided to check because he was just a humble office worker who genuinely wanted to study the other world—and if possible, he wanted to go there himself—and wasn’t just in it for the money.

“Hmm?”

He initially assumed it to be another fake tip, but there was something different with the message.

“I’ll start by sending an unpublished photo of the Four Eastern Stars as proof of my identity.”

Although the following URL was a bit suspicious, the admin forwarded it to a tablet where viruses wouldn’t be a problem, and checked the link. What he saw there was indeed Serika of the Four Eastern Stars, captured in her sleeping form. Initially, he thought it was just someone with a similar face.

“The stuffed toy by the pillow is a prize from a crane game at Odaiba’s arcade that she won on November 14th! And that clock on the bedside is an antique clock that she fell for and bought at a store on her way home from an interview with foreign media on December 1st. Supposedly, it’s a one-of-a-kind handmade piece. I-Is this actually the real Serika?!”

The admin was a massive nerd with stalker tendencies.

“Only members of the Four Eastern Stars or Serika’s family could’ve taken this picture.”

The photo was actually from Serika’s phone at home. Hikaru assumed Sara had taken it.

“So this new otherworlder could be the real deal?!”

Suppressing the urge to shout, the admin continued reading the message.

“Today, I will do a livestream on the following channel. You are free to restream it, and in fact, I would actually prefer you mirror the stream. I recommend mirroring because if people gather on the original channel, causing a commotion, and it gets banned, everything will be in vain. As you have probably realized by this point, the footage being broadcasted might lead to some kind of incident, and the restreaming channel may also get banned. However, I assure you of one thing: a new person from another world will appear on this stream.”

“Let’s fucking gooooo!” the admin screamed.

A channel ban? He didn’t care about that. He was betting everything on the line for this other world.

He clicked the channel link. It led to a website of a global streaming platform, which also hosted the Different World Verification Channel. The admin found a channel called Silver Mask with zero subscribers.

“Hmm?”

But the next moment, the subscriber count went up to one, and seconds later, two.

“Hmm? Weird. Subscribers on a channel with no videos? Even if you search for the term ‘another otherworlder,’ you won’t find this channel. Oh!” The admin realized another possibility. “It wasn’t just me!”

This message was probably sent to other notable channels and possibly even social media influencers.

The channel’s subscriber count had already reached 8. The admin hurriedly pressed the subscribe button and tried to check if this information was being posted on social media, but stopped. He turned his hand toward the camera beside the desk and turned it on.

Presumably, the others were making suggestive announcements like, “Something might happen tonight.” He could understand their feelings because he had just tried to do the same. If it turned out to be a fake rumor—there was still a significant possibility of that—the channel admin would surely be criticized.

But such risks didn’t bother this man. Because he was a massive nerd with stalker tendencies who had bet everything on the other world.

“Hello, everyone. This is the Different World Verification Channel.”

The admin started the livestream. Gradually, viewers began to tune in. His channel was the largest among channels of similar content.

“I received an interesting message just now.”

With influencers posting clickbait tweets, and viewers hungry for discussions about the other world growing restless, the Different World Verification Channel admin started a livestream, drawing considerable attention.

As his channel was in Japanese, his streams typically only reached a couple hundreds of viewers, but today, five minutes after starting the broadcast, it had surpassed 1,000 viewers, and after 30 minutes, it exceeded 10,000.

In response, other channels began live streaming, and the information began to reach not only those interested in the other world but also the general public.

Before he knew it, even overseas users—though it was early morning there—noticed the uproar in Japan and started livestreaming one after another. Information was being shared through admins.

Hikaru, the one who sent the message, had not expected such a turn of events.

Bathed in an intense light, the attackers flinched momentarily but swiftly regained their composure.

“Kill him. Who cares about a stupid livestream? It’s only one guy. We can end it quick.”

Roaring in unison, the men rushed toward Hikaru.

Instantly, Hikaru’s body seemed to vanish. The assailants blocked the light, creating shadows that allowed him to use Stealth. Even seasoned individuals found it impossible to follow him with their eyes.

“Gah!”

Hikaru swiftly moved behind one and delivered a kick. Another swung a dagger when he noticed him, but Hikaru dodged and followed it with a punch to the pit of the stomach.

“Ugh.”

Ouch.

The attackers wore chest guards that protected their vital spots, causing Hikaru’s hand immense pain.

I guess I don’t need to worry about triggering Assassination.

Hikaru ceased toggling Stealth on and off, and focused on taking them all down with full force.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the camera.

“Huh? What’s this? Looks like something’s going on.”

“It’s hard to see in the rain!”

“It looks like they’re fighting.”

“Oooooooh Kung Fu boy!”

“Camera, get closer!”

“What is this? Footage from the other world?”

“It’s clearly a Japanese garden.”

“Is this happening somewhere in real-time, or is it prerecorded?”

The fight was being restreamed everywhere, and over half a million viewers worldwide were watching.

Unable to grab a single boy, his companions were being punched, kicked, and toyed with.

The leader of the group clicked his tongue. “You, go!”

“Got it.”

A giant of a man stepped forward. He held a large hammer in both hands, swinging it like a stick.

“Haaah!”

Ignoring the fact that his companions were still fighting, the huge man charged, swinging the large hammer.

The blow grazed one guy, which meant it was able to approach Hikaru from his blind spot.

“Guh!”

He bent down, but his wet clothes impeded movement. The hammer snagged his cloak and sent him flying and rolling over the gravel.

“Whoa, whoa. What was that? Wires?”

“I don’t think so. The movements look so natural!”

“A stuntman? He’ll die doing something like that.”

“Yeah. That was an all-out swing.”

“Oh no! Kung Fu boy!”

In the overseas chatrooms, the name Kung Fu boy began to take root.

“Ugh… my stupid cloak.”

Hikaru tossed his wet cloak on the ground.

The huge man rushed in. The uppercut from the massive hammer, swung just above ground level, was a devastating blow that could lead to bone fractures upon impact. But in a one-on-one situation, evading it was easy.

Hikaru had witnessed faster slashes than this—from Lawrence the Sword Saint.

He evaded the giant hammer’s strike by pulling back, but the massive opponent, surprisingly agile for his size, swiftly spun around and swung the hammer again.

“Hngh!”

Hikaru narrowly dodged the series of attacks coming his way. The tenth strike came from above, a powerful swing with both hands. He leaped backward to avoid it. Two giant hammers sent stones flying as they struck the ground.

“Holy shit!”

“Is this actually from the other world?”

“The bigger one has to be the traveler.”

“That’s clearly a gang of robbers.”

“Is that boy wearing a mask?”

“Oh my God! Kung Fu boy!”

Even when Hikaru used Stealth, he could be seen on the camera, so the chat was overflowing with comments.