Chapter 200: A Message from Another World
After lunch and a brief rest, the three continued to wander around the amusement park.
Unlike the morning, which had mostly involved thrilling rides, Kawasaki Keika was much more subdued in the afternoon, choosing leisurely attractions like carousels and ferris wheels.
By four o'clock in the afternoon, they finally left the park.
"Hachiman, see you next time!"
Waving reluctantly at Hachiman Hikigaya, Keika walked toward the bus stop with her sister leading the way.
Watching their departing figures, Hachiman also turned and headed toward the train station.
About twenty minutes later, after walking, Hachiman reached the platform and began waiting for the train.
For some reason, a scene of heavy snowfall kept flickering through his vision.
"Am I seeing things?"
Rubbing his eyes, Hachiman looked up at the opposite platform again.
The snowy scene kept flashing in his vision every few dozen seconds.
"System, what's going on?"
Frowning, he asked the system in his mind.
"This is a message from another world. For some reason, it passed through the world barrier and was received by the host."
"Can I block it?"
Hachiman exhaled in relief upon hearing the explanation and immediately considered blocking this automatic reception ability. After all, the image flickering intermittently in his vision was quite annoying.
"Of course. Given the host's current abilities, it can be automatically blocked using mental strength."
The system then displayed a manual in Hachiman's field of vision explaining how to block it.
The cost: 500 Spirit Coins.
With his fortune already in the five-digit range, Hachiman didn't even flinch at the price and agreed immediately.
Following the manual, he began blocking the information from the other world.
"Someone, please save me…"
Suddenly, a panicked girl's voice echoed in his mind.
Hachiman's action to block the signal immediately stopped.
He looked around, confirming the voice didn't come from his surroundings, then asked the system again:
"Was that voice from the other world too?"
"Yes."
"I see…"
The system's confirmation made Hachiman hesitate.
Undoubtedly, whoever had spoken in his mind moments ago was in some terrifying situation.
However, it was just a message. Just a message that had existed for who knows how long, accidentally passing through the barrier between worlds and being received by him!
Taking a deep breath, Hachiman resolved once more to block the message.
Yet, another message came through immediately.
This time, it wasn't the repetitive snowy scene.
Instead, it was a very eerie basement.
Not only that, but Hachiman seemed to see through the protagonist's perspective.
At that very moment, countless strange, large insects crawled toward "him"!
"...…"
"System, is there a way for me to jump to the time of the world from which this message came?"
After a few seconds of silence, Hachiman gritted his teeth. He couldn't just sit by and do nothing.
Since he could previously travel to other worlds to help, and even summon the otherworldly Rimuru, the system should be able to let him travel to this little girl's world as well, right?
The system paused briefly, seemingly calculating the feasibility.
"Host's own abilities are sufficient to withstand spatial turbulence. World jump function unlocked. The host only needs to know the precise coordinates of the target world for accurate jump. Each spatial passage costs 10,000 Spirit Coins."
"Coordinates of the target world confirmed. Proceed with the jump?"
"How is the flow of time in the two worlds?"
"Same as before. However, due to the lack of local 'companions,' this is an unknown world. The host risks death and cannot call for help. Exercise caution."
"Jump."
Hachiman sighed and instructed the system to send him to the other world.
In the next instant, a pitch-black portal appeared before him, and a violent suction force instantly pulled him in.
.
.
.
Matou Zouken stood on the basement steps, eyes cold, watching Matou Sakura —today delivered from the Tohsaka household to act as the Matou heir—cowering in a corner.
The surrounding Crest Worms had completely surrounded Sakura. At Zouken's command, they would crawl inside the girl and begin altering her body.
At this moment, Sakura stared at the massive insects around her, helplessly calling out for her father, mother, and older sister.
But even after her voice was hoarse and her strength completely drained, no familiar face appeared from behind Zouken…
"Has she been crying for about half an hour? Quite an excellent vessel for a child…"
Seeing Sakura fall silent and confirming she was a suitable vessel, Zouken nodded in satisfaction. He then slowly maneuvered the Crest Worms toward her, intending to break her psychological defenses completely and reduce her to a puppet under his control.
Gradually, the Crest Worms climbed onto Sakura's body as she struggled.
The subsequent events no longer required his attention. He turned to leave the basement, but suddenly, a black portal appeared mid-air inside the basement.
"What is this?!"
Never having seen anything like it, Zouken struggled against the turbulent currents flying out of the portal, peering inside.
Then, a man covered in scars, looking thoroughly battered, fell out of the portal.
Sensing the man's aura, the previously numerous Crest Worms on the ground screamed in terror and dispersed.
"A magus? N-no… something about him feels strange…"
Noticing the magical energy within Hachiman, Zouken initially assumed he was a magus who had accidentally been teleported during an experiment.
However, feeling the fear transmitted by the insects, he quickly dismissed this idea.
Ordinary magus wouldn't cause the Crest Worms to feel fear…
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