When we arrived in the bedchamber, we found four ornate, comfortable looking beds waiting for us. I sat down on mine right away, sighing happily at the softness of it. Even though we were all together, though, none of us were exactly making small talk. To put it simply, we had all been consumed by our status menus, reading through various tutorials and trying to gather as much information as we possibly could.

Honestly, the amount of information I was reading as I scrolled through various tutorials and lore was pretty overwhelming. It was hard to process so much at once. The basics were simple, a lot of stuff I had already anticipated, though. For example, the legendary weapons were unbreakable and needed no maintenance. They grew stronger along with the level of the hero wielding them. Slain enemies could be absorbed into something called a weapon book, by allowing the weapon's gem to absorb their drops.

The weapon book apparently recorded different forms the legendary weapon could transform into. While each weapon had its own unique method of gaining power, the weapon book was available to every hero. It's the most basic sort of leveling system for the heroes, it would seem. Personally, I'd never heard of any level system like that in any game. It's interesting. It almost sounded like Pokemon somehow, absorbing monsters you beat to make yourself more powerful. Still, in Pokemon you didn't kill the monsters you wanted, so it wasn't an exact parallel.

I absentmindedly decided to open the weapon book. As I opened it, I saw a web of black circles expand before my eyes. I couldn't even see the whole thing, there were so many different options on the web! The Basic Ofuda was right at the center, with tons of branching paths going out from it. Still, I hadn't unlocked any yet, so I couldn't see any information about any of the others. I selected the Basic Ofuda, which opened a small information menu.

Basic Ofuda

Exp: 0/50

Level: 1

Rarity: C

Skills: Basic Attack(0/5)

The way it was set up reminded me of an old gacha game I used to play. You could level up certain characters, which would give you points to increase the power of their skills as well as giving them a general stat boost. Then, you could reset those levels once they were maxed out to increase rarity, for a general stat boost. I wasn't sure if the other heroes could do anything like this, but it was certainly an interesting system. Still, they did say that each weapon had unique methods of powering up, so this gacha-style system was probably mine. It seemed probable that other forms of the ofuda would have different skills, based on what was used to make that form. If all the anime and manga I'd watched were correct, the ofuda would probably be mostly magic focused. In most anime they're in, they would create explosions or fire, but all I had on this first one was a basic attack. My primary objective should probably be to get some strong ofuda then, right?

As I read through my own information, I found myself more and more curious to hear about what the other heroes were thinking. Maybe their opinions would help me figure out the system better! Eager to learn, I asked, "Hey, isn't this just like a game, guys? I mean, seriously."
Motoyasu rolled his eyes. "It is a game, man. I've played a game just like this."

I blink. That's surprising to hear. "Really?"
Motoyasu nodded. "Yeah, dude. It's a pretty famous online game. I'm surprised you haven't heard of it. Emerald Online? Seriously?"
I wouldn't consider myself some sort of gaming expert, but I'd never heard of any game like that. I was just about to tell Motoyasu as much when Itsuki spoke, seeming indignant.

"Motoyasu, what are you talking about? This isn't an online game at all. It's totally a console game." I furrowed my brow. What was happening here? I'd never heard of any console game like this, nor any game called 'Emerald Online,' and yet both of these guys seemed totally sure of what they're saying.

Ren shook his head. "Both of you are totally wrong. This isn't any sort of online game or console game, it's a VRMMO." VRMMO? That's straight out of an anime.

"What's a VRMMO?" I asked, confused. "I mean, a game is a game. You still need to use some kind of mouse or controller to play it. There's no way a whole MMO could use VR. That tech is way too niche."
Ren seemed just as confused as me, now. "Mouse? Controller? What kind of antique technology are you talking about here? Are you one of those retro gamer types?"

Still, it is true that he was the first one to figure out the status magic. That could indicate he'd played some seriously immersive games like this before. "Actually, this reminds me of a game as well. An old gacha game I used to really love. It didn't have the same setting, but the mechanics were pretty similar." I pause for a moment. "Okay, let's all say the names of the games at the same time. Since we all think this is a game, maybe saying the titles will help us figure out what's going on. Itsuki?"
"The game I know was called Dimension Wave. We already know that Motoyasu played a game called Emerald Online." He glanced over at Ren. "Ren, Naofumi?"

"I don't know either of those games," Ren admitted, "but this game is exactly like Brave Star Online."
I nodded thoughtfully. "The one I'm thinking of was called Fantasia Quest. So we're all thinking of different games. And yet we all think our game is the same as this world." I glanced over at Ren, trying to puzzle through the exact situation.

"Okay," said Motoyasu, "Let's collect our knowledge. Ren, VRMMO means what me think it means, right? A virtual reality game where you can control the character with your own body?"

Ren nodded. "Itsuki, Naofumi, you both understand as well?"
I hummed in agreement. "Sounds like something from a light novel, yeah. Total sci-fi."

He looked back to Ren. "So, Ren, this game 'Brave Star Online' is a VRMMO as well, right?" Ren gave him another nod, totally casual. In the world where he came from, was tech like that really commonplace? Interfacing your brain with a computer game was definitely way too futuristic to actually be true, but he's treating it like it's a totally normal thing. "Have you heard of any of our games?"
Ren shook his head. "No. I'm not an expert, but I consider myself pretty well-versed in old games, and I've never heard of anything like those games. It's odd, though, since you all seem to consider them fairly well known titles."
A new thought began to form in my mind. Was it possible that we all come from different universes? That is to say, rather than being summoned from the same place, all four of us were from totally different worlds? After all, we all seemed pretty confident in our gaming knowledge, and yet none of us knew any of the games the others were only explanation for that would seem to be different worlds.

"Maybe we should try and just ask some basic, common sense questions. Surely something corroborates, right? It seems impossible we have no knowledge in common. Here, why don't we all say the Prime Minister's name at the same time, okay? On three…"

After I counted down, we all said totally different names. No matter how many questions we asked, everything seemed to be totally different. Basic historical facts, internet slang, classic shows. No matter what topic we brought up, nothing ended up matching. In fact, pretty much nothing they mentioned triggered any historical knowledge on my part, which rendered my fledgeling theory that we could have been from different time periods totally bust.

"So we're really from different worlds, huh?" I said with a sigh. This whole situation I found myself in became more and more absurd by the minute. "Well," said Itsuki, "All our worlds have a Japan, at least. And we all have similar interests, despite being from different worlds."

That's right. Now that he mentioned it, even if I didn't know any of the stuff they were talking about, we all did have similar interests. Video games, anime, light novels- to put it simply, all four of us were total nerds. That had to mean something, right? There must have been some reason why only otaku would be summoned to be heroes.

Ren shrugged. "Who cares either way? We aren't going to be able to party up, so what does it matter if we have anything in common?" He rubbed at his side. "I'm more interested in hearing how you all ended up here."

This guy thinks he's so cool. It was seriously starting to get on my nerves, the way he just brushed past all our attempts at conversation. Still, it seemed like he'd be sharing his story first, which was just fine by me. "It happened when I was walking home from school. I got caught up in a crime in progress. I had to save my best friend from getting hurt, but…" He winced, rubbing at his side again. Did he get stabbed trying to save his friend? As much as I wanted to make fun of that, it seemed like a pretty noble deed. Still, I did have to wonder if he's totally trustworthy. After all, he did look like the type of guy to make up a cool backstory to impress people. Still, I wasn't the type of person who called people out without being sure they were lying.

"That's pretty cool," I had to admit, "Saving your friend and all." He just brushed me off as if it was no big deal. Still, I'm sure he must have been loving the attention. I could see it in his face.

Motoyasu sighed. "Guess I'm next. My story's not that cool…" He rubs the back of his neck. "See, I kinda had a couple girlfriends. Maybe more than a couple…"
I rolled my eyes. Almost jokingly, I said, "Let me guess- you got caught cheating and one of your girls stabbed you." With his eyes wide, he just nodded. Shit, I was right? He seemed like the type who was good with the ladies, but really! That admittance immediately lost some respect points in my book. It's not my place to judge someone else's life, but cheating is one of the scummiest things you can do.

"Girls are scary." He said with wide eyes. Yeah, of course they were, when you cheated on them. Idiot.

Itsuki took his turn next. "My story is simple. I was walking home from prep school, when a huge dump truck came speeding around a blind corner." So all of them died to get here? Damn, it was gonna be embarrassing to share my story. Still they were all looking at me now, so I didn't really have a choice.

"I…" I sighed. "To be honest, I don't even think I died. I just got hit in the head by an old book. When I tried to read it, I passed out and woke up here. I mean, I guess I might've cracked my skull when I fell? I don't know. Sorry, guys, but that's all I've got."

There was silence in the room as they all stared at me. They shot glances at each other and began murmuring amongst themselves.

"...does have the ofuda, you know…"

"...makes sense…"

My eyebrow twitched. "I'm right here, you know. Don't murmur about me. Just tell me what's going on." Seriously. What, did they only want to befriend people who died miserably to get here? Was that what it was? "Look, let's just move on. All of you guys said you know this system, right? I'm less familiar with it, though I do recognize some of the mechanics. Is it fair to say you guys are already well-versed in how it works?"

It kinda sucked to be the only amateur of the bunch, but I was a quick learner. "So, do you guys mind giving me some tips? The help tab was really helpful, but otherwise, I'm pretty much a novice." Again, they shot me some cold looks. I didn't get what's so weird about asking for help, but between them and the King, I already got the feeling I'm the odd man out. Motoyasu gave me a big, cheesy grin, but I felt like it was forced.

"Alright, listen here. I'll tell you what I know. So, I'm only speaking from what I know about Emerald Online, but you use an Ofuda. That makes you a Sorcerer. It's a magic class, but unlike a wizard, which is focused on high dps and aoe spells, the Sorcerer is focused on strategy and traps."
I was pretty excited to hear that. To be honest, everything was sounding good so far. Strategy, traps… those sort of characters were always the coolest, right? Everyone loved the super smart general who always had a plan of attack.

"To be honest, the sorcerer has really mediocre stats. Everything is pretty okay, but nothing special. Most of the sorcerer abilities are based on trapping enemies, or copying skills. To be honest… Nobody really plays the sorcerer, because everybody kinda thinks they're cowards. I mean, everything they do is either trapping people or copying their skills and using them against them. It's not an honorable style at all, you know? Not only that, but sorcerers can never use copied skills as well as the original users can, so no high level players really like to play the class."

What? Seriously? That couldn't be true. How could a whole class just be stereotyped like that?

"You've got to be joking, right? Surely, not everybody hates it right? I mean, there has to be some upsides to this class?"

"Nah… I mean, not really. And the game doesn't let you switch jobs once you pick, so the Sorcerer class is pretty much dead."
I glanced over at Ren and Itsuki, and they just gave me apologetic shrugs. So it was the same in their games too? This can't really be happening… so I'd been stuck with the class everyone hates? Why the hell did I have to get the short straw? Even as I was thinking about that, the other three were talking amongst themselves.

"So the map is the same, right? I mean, the geography totally looks the same." Itsuki nodded thoughtfully.

"It seems likely the farming spots will also be the same. Of course, each of our weapons will need different hunting zones. It's probably designed that way to ensure we split up." Seriously? I was practically having a mental breakdown over my apparently doomed future, and they were discussing the best ways to metagame.

Still, they were only saying people didn't *like* the class, right? It didn't necessarily mean the class was super weak or anything, just that people weren't fond of the playstyle. I could deal with that. Hell, maybe I'd change people's mind about the class by being a great hero! After all, traps and strategy could be very effective when used correctly. I tried to calm myself down, not wanting to take their words personally. After all, an opinion was just that. There was no reason for me to take their thoughts as gospel, regardless of their experience. With that thought in mind, I managed to feel a bit more calm.

"It's fine," I said out loud, my face firm "I'll change your minds. I'll make you respect this class."

They looked at me as if they were looking at some pitiful, starving puppy. I had to force myself not to dwell on what they might have been thinking. After all, if I was really going to convince them that I'm a respectable hero, then I couldn't be sensitive. I'd have to convince people with my deeds.

Just as I was thinking that, someone entered the room. From my layman's eye, he seemed to be some sort of butler. "Heroes," he said, in a deep voice that was pretty soothing to the ear, "A banquet has been prepared. It awaits you in the great hall. Please, feel free to come at your leisure."

He bowed deeply and left. A banquet for heroes! Who hadn't dreamed about going to one of those? I hurried out of the room, heading for the great hall, which I'd spotted earlier. I made a point not to run through the stone halls, not wanting to look like a total child, but I still went as fast as I could to get there.

It really was straight out of a fantasy novel. The hall was absolutely gigantic, with ceilings so high it made you wonder how it was even constructed. Tapestries hung from the walls, with a chandelier attached to the ceiling. I couldn't even imagine how long it must have taken to light every single one of those candles up there. The huge mahogany tables were laid with an absolutely insane amount of food. Meats, vegetables, pastries, desserts- anything you could want to eat could be found here. I grabbed a seat on the bench.

The other heroes filed in only a few moments after me. Immediately, Ren set to grumbling. "Ugh, I can't believe this. You're really going to make us eat with the knights?" I tried my best to ignore it. He could be as stuck up as he wanted to be, I didn't intend to get in an argument over it. Personally, I didn't really care who ate with me- the food looked delicious.

"You misunderstand, sir," replied the butler, "The people in this room are not knights, but chefs. They are simply here to see if you enjoy their food, and so they can make changes to their cooking in future, if need be."

Oh. So these guys standing around staring at us weren't actually knights, but chefs? That feels weird. Like, how were you supposed to enjoy your meal when you knew the people who made it would be watching you eat? If you didn't like something, you'd hurt someone's feelings, right? That's no way to enjoy food. Still, I wouldn't begrudge them that.

"The knights won't be permitted to enter until you are done eating." I see. So we heroes are more important than even the castle's own knights? If one kept hearing things like that, I could see how they might get a big head. I'd have to try hard not to let my ego swell. Still, the butler's response seemed to have satisfied Ren's ego, and the other heroes sat down.

They made a purposeful decision to sit separate from me. Again, I tried to forget about it. Just don't be sensitive. Enjoy your meal. I began serving myself, grabbing scoops and slices of whatever looked good to me. The food was amazing, combining flavors I never would have thought went together well. A meat and rice dish was sweet instead of savory, and the cake had a hint of spice that surprised me. Despite the odd combinations, it was all enjoyable. I couldn't find a single thing at the table that I didn't like.

By the time we were finished, I was so stuffed I couldn't think about anything but sleeping. Intent on finding a bath first thing tomorrow, I headed back to our room, flopped into bed, and went right to sleep. The next day would mark the start of my adventures as a hero. Best to start it with a solid night's sleep.