"What… is this?"
When Xiang Nan's vision finally cleared, the first thing he saw was an old‑fashioned street from a bygone era.
Although aged, it wasn't dilapidated; on the contrary, people bustled to and fro, the scene lively and prosperous.
It was only that everyone's clothing—and the surrounding buildings—looked a little outdated compared with what one would expect in Hunter × Hunter.
"Look over there."
Manman suddenly raised her hand, pointing at the sky in surprise.
High above the city, airships reminiscent of those in Hunter × Hunter cruised slowly along. Yet every ship was a different shape, all seeming quite advanced—totally at odds with the antiquated architecture and old‑world atmosphere down below.
Xiang Nan surveyed the cityscape, then glanced at Orban.
This felt far too familiar…
Plainly the style of some older period in Japan.
Orban had previously been transported into the world of Rurouni Kenshin, so he ought to be even more familiar with this sort of setting.
"Looks like the Edo period… That building there also screams shogunate style—except something feels off."
Dressed like a samurai, Orban gave a thoughtful hum, staring at the modern high‑rises that towered inside the city—buildings, together with the airships overhead, that were utterly different from his image of Edo.
How could an ancient era possibly contain such futuristic tech and scenery? Some shops even had neon signs!
The world they had barged into felt visually discordant—contradictory and chaotic.
While the group observed their surroundings, passers‑by occasionally threw curious glances at them—not because their clothes were unusual, but because most eyes landed on the katana in Orban's hand.
Murmured conversations broke out all around.
"Intel first."
As team leader, Xiang Nan issued orders at once.
The five split into four sub‑teams.
Xiang Nan teamed up with Manman.
They strolled the streets, trying to chat with locals and gather information.
Xiang Nan noticed that almost everyone—men and women alike—wore traditional Japanese kimono, their hairstyles equally classical.
"Excuse me, sorry to bother you. We're from out of town—could you tell us where we are?"
He stopped a woman and asked with a gentle smile.
The kimono‑clad woman eyed Xiang Nan and Manman, then curled her crimson lips.
"Here? You're joking, right, handsome? Who sets foot here and doesn't know where they are? This is Kabukichō. You're pretty cute—wanna grab a drink somewhere?"
She giggled and draped an arm over his shoulder, casting him a flirtatious glance.
"Sure… though I'm not carrying much money."
Xiang Nan didn't refuse, flashing a dazzling smile that made the woman's heart flutter.
Manman's eyes widened—this was her first time seeing Xiang Nan flirt.
As Xiang Nan saw it, with the world's background and their mission still unknown, they had no idea how long they'd be stuck here. Better to secure resources—money, for instance. If that meant selling a bit of charm, so be it.
"You're not a host, are you? Is this some new trick clubs use—pretending to be out‑of‑towners to pick up clients on the street? You people keep getting more creative… But it's fine; with that face, I don't mind paying."
She blushed, then pulled him straight to the district's busiest entertainment area.
Sure enough, Xiang Nan was whisked into a host club.
Seated with the woman in a plush booth, they sipped champagne and whispered sweet nothings. Other hosts tried to butt in, but she turned them away—she wanted Xiang Nan all to herself. The club still made money off the drinks, so the staff were nothing but enthusiastic.
Before long, the woman was hopelessly smitten and drunk enough to ramble nonsense.
Xiang Nan achieved his goal—she willingly handed over her purse, and he coaxed plenty of information out of her. Leaving the woman passed out on the sofa, he rose and led Manman out.
He relayed everything he'd learned via the team's system channel.
…
An hour later they regrouped in a side alley.
Everyone looked toward Beishi—he'd figured out which world they'd landed in, and he was the only one who knew it.
"This is from an anime I absolutely loved back in the day—practically a die‑hard fan," Beishi said, both excited and a little anxious.
"Hurry up, quit stalling," Orban prodded.
"Gintama," Beishi announced with a deep breath.
Gintama?
Xiang Nan, Orban, and Pigeon exchanged blank looks.
"Put simply, it is a shōnen series, but it's really a comedy. The setting involves space aliens—the 'Amanto'—who came from outer space. Despite the grand backdrop, the power scale isn't actually high or complex; everything still revolves around bushidō—mostly hand‑to‑hand battles.
"Late in the Edo period, aliens called Amanto invaded. War broke out between Earthlings and Amanto; countless samurai and anti‑alien rebels fought. When the shogunate saw the Amanto's strength, they signed an unequal treaty, allowing them into the country, and later issued a Sword Ban, stripping samurai of their blades. Since then the Amanto have run amok and the shogunate's a puppet regime…."
Beishi rattled off the world's lore.
"The leads are Gintoki Sakata, Kagura, and Shinpachi Shimura, plus a dog—well, not exactly a dog—named Sadaharu. They run an 'Odd Jobs' shop, the Yorozuya, taking any job to earn their keep."
"Yorozuya…"
The name rang half‑a‑bell for Xiang Nan.
"There is a main plot—about Gintoki and his teacher Yoshida Shōyō, and their destined confrontation. The teacher becomes the final boss: an immortal named Utsuro, born from Earth's ley‑line energy, not truly human.
"But that's not why I'm worried. Gintama is a gag series—most episodes are stand‑alone everyday skits, packed with ridiculous humor. Sometimes it plays fast and loose with conceptual gags—totally over the top."
"You mean… concept gods?"
Xiang Nan's face grew serious.
"Exactly. If concept gods appear, we're in deep trouble. I'm not sure they will, though—the original also has grounded arcs and sensible fights. But the author's imagination was wild; lots of stuff defied logic. No telling if that'll manifest here."
"Basically, the series has parodied every big franchise you can name—Dragon Ball, One Piece, even Hunter × Hunter…"
Beishi gave an involuntary laugh, dispelling the tense mood.
"It was once wildly popular, a source of joy for countless fans—but it finished early, so not many people today know it."
"Concept gods would be an even bigger threat than a multiverse in a cross‑dimensional war," Xiang Nan mused, stroking his chin. "But we're only in placement matches for the Reincarnation Dimension—no way such a broken element shows up this soon. Since there's a main plot and grounded arcs, it's probably a relatively standard world."
Orban and Pigeon both exhaled in relief. The phrase "concept gods" had nearly stopped their hearts.
"What is a concept god?"
A being that can ignore dimensional walls—practically omniscient.
Beishi's reminder jogged Xiang Nan's memory; he vaguely recalled seeing something about this anime on his phone in his previous life.
Gin‑san… The name felt faintly familiar.
"Keep digging for info. The system task hasn't dropped yet, and there's no region lock. Check nearby areas for other intruders."
"Understood."
With that, they split up once more.