Welcome to the Multiverse Group Chat!!!

Chapter 377: Chapter 373 ~ Castle In the Sky

Yuuji returned home together with Yuna and Nina, the sky already painted in deeper shades of evening by the time they arrived.

It was later than usual. But as usual, they were welcomed warmly by their mother, Mira.

They changed into more comfortable clothes, the tension of the day slowly melting away. Not long after, Aika returned from her café as well, her presence bringing with it a familiar, lively energy.

”Dinnerʼs ready~”

Miraʼs gentle voice called out, drawing everyone together.

The meal was warm, comforting, filled with soft conversation and quiet laughter. It was the kind of dinner that didnʼt need anything extravagant—just being together was enough.

Afterward came a relaxing bath, washing away the last remnants of fatigue.

And finally, Yuuji retired to his room.

The moment he opened the door, he was greeted by a familiar sight.

Alice, Aria, Est, and Ophis were already sprawled across his bed in various positions, completely at ease. Their expressions were relaxed, their bodies sinking into the soft sheets, clearly satisfied after dinner.

It had become… routine.

Yuuji let out a faint, amused breath before sitting down beside them.

As usual, he took out his phone, chatting casually in the group chat and calling his girlfriends, letting the calm rhythm of conversation ease him further into the night.

Time passed quietly.

Until, a new notification appeared.

Someone unexpected.

[Marin Kitagawa: ”Yuuji-kun! Are you free tomorrow?”]

Yuuji blinked… Then replied.

[Yuuji Tsubakihara: ”Marin-san? Iʼm free tomorrow. Whatʼs wrong?”]

The reply came almost instantly.

[Marin Kitagawa: ”Hehe~ I canʼt wait until Monday to take measurements, so letʼs go to Gojo-kunʼs house tomorrow! No time like the present!”]

Yuuji paused, staring at the message.

It was sudden.

But at the same time—

…very like her.

Her enthusiasm practically radiated through the screen.

[Yuuji Tsubakihara: ”Do you know where Wakana-sanʼs house is?”]

[Marin Kitagawa: ”Of course! Iʼll send you the location!”]

Yuuji leaned back slightly, thinking. From the way she spoke, it didnʼt sound like a suggestion.

It seemed decided.

ʼShe probably already asked Wakana-san.ʼ

A faint, helpless smile formed on his lips.

ʼWell… Iʼm free anyway.ʼ

Then, his gaze shifted towards the two small figures on his bed. Alice and Ophis; the two who had been most excited about cosplay.

”Alice, Ophis.” 

He called gently.

They both turned toward him immediately.

”My friends and I are meeting tomorrow to take measurements for cosplay outfits. Do you want to come along and get measured too?”

Their reactions were instant.

”Yes! Yes! I want to go!”

”…Mm.”

Their eyes lit up with excitement.

Yuuji nodded.

”Alright. Then you two will come with me.”

He glanced at the others.

”Aria, Est. You can either stay here or rest in the [Kingʼs Treasury].”

”We will remain in your treasury, Master.” 

Aria replied calmly.

”Uhn…” 

Est murmured softly, already half-asleep, her eyes drooping.

”Alright. Then itʼs settled.”

Yuuji returned his attention to his phone.

[Yuuji Tsubakihara: ”Alright. Iʼll bring my little sisters along so they can get measured too. Is that okay?”]

[Marin Kitagawa: ”Of course! See you tomorrow~! Good night~”]

[Yuuji Tsubakihara: ”Mm. See you tomorrow. Good night.”]

He closed the app and glanced at the time.

11:00 PM.

He had spent hours chatting and talking.

ʼ…Time to sleep.ʼ

Yuuji slipped under the covers. And almost immediately, the four girls moved.

As if by instinct, they moved closer, each claiming a spot—resting against him, using him as their pillow, their warmth surrounding him from all sides.

It was crowded. But it was comfortable.

Yuuji reached toward the light switch. Or rather, he raised his hand in the direction of the switch and was just about to use his gravity magic to switch it off.

Ping.

He paused.

”…Hm?”

Another notification. He glanced at his phone, and his expression sharpened slightly.

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[A new mission has arrived. Please check the quest tab of your Multiverse Group Chat for details.]

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For a brief moment, the room remained quiet.

Then, his phone began lighting up again.

The group chat, which had been slowly falling silent as everyone drifted to sleep—

Suddenly came alive once more.

Messages began pouring in.

[Kiryuu Aika: ”Oh~! A new quest!”]

[Rias Gremory: ”A new mission?! Finally!”]

[Chiba Erika: ”I wonder what itʼll be this time.”]

[Shiba Tatsuya: ”Our previous missions took place in each of our respective worlds… Now that weʼve gone through almost all of them, except Yuujiʼs. Could this one be in his world?”]

Yuuji paused briefly before replying.

[Tsubakihara Yuuji: ”Hm… I doubt it. Thereʼs nothing supernatural in my world…”]

[Albedo: ”A shame… I would have liked to visit your world, my love.”]

[Tsubakihara Yuuji: ”Iʼll find a way, Albedo. For now, Iʼll be the one visiting you.”]

[Albedo: ”Anytime, my love. I will always be waiting.”]

[Suzuki Satoru: ”Please come, Yuuji-kun. It would be great to have you here. The children are asking for you.”]

[Tsubakihara Yuuji: ”Of course. I will come and visit, Satoru-san.” ]

[Lelouch Lamperouge: ”Hm? This mission…”]

One by one, the group opened the quest details.

And when Yuuji read it, his eyes narrowed slightly.

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World: [Sword Art Online]

Mission(s): 

Clear the VRMMORPG Death Game, Sword Art Online by defeating the Final Boss of Aincrad, the Floating Castle. 

Deal the final hit to at least 10 Floor Bosses of Aincrad, the Floating Castle.Gain an additional 500 GCP for each additional Floor boss.

Eliminate at least 10 members of the Red Players Guild [Laughing Coffin].Gain an additional 500 GCP for each additional member.

Eliminate the leader of the Red Player Guild [Laughing Coffin].

Reach Level 100 in Sword Art Online.

Free all players imprisoned within the Virtual World. 

Number of Participant(s): 1 Person

Supporting Items:

Identity and Background History

Starting Asset: Equivalent to 60% of the ownerʼs current wealth.

A full VRMMO set.

Sword Art Online Game

Failure Condition(s):

Death of the participant within the game and failure to clear the VRMMORPG death game, Sword Art Online and defeat the Final Boss of Aincrad, the Floating Castle. 

Failing to deal the final hit to at least 10 Floor Bosses of the Floating Castle, Aincrad.

Failing to eliminate at least 10 members of the Red Players Guild [Laughing Coffin]

Survival of the leader of the Red Player Guild [Laughing Coffin] upon the clearance of Sword Art Online.

Failing to reach level 100 upon the clearance of Sword Art Online.

Failing to free all players imprisoned within the Virtual World. 

Rewards upon completion:

All supporting items will be permanently available to participants upon successful completion of the quest.

10+1 pull ticket from the Gacha

Group Chat Points equal to 1000 x the number of missions completed.

Penalties upon failure:

All supporting items will be removed from participants upon failure to complete the missions. 

Group Chat Points equal to 1000 x the number of missions failed will be deducted from participants. If points owned are less than points deducted, the points owned will be 0.

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A new world. And one he had no information about.

[Tsubakihara Yuuji: ”This is…”]

[Lelouch Lamperouge: ”Yes. A new world. Does the name mean anything to anyone? Perhaps from fiction in your worlds?”]

[C.C: ”Donʼt ask me. I donʼt keep up with that stuff.”]

[Kiryuu Aika: ”Hmm… nope. Never heard of it. Rias?”]

[Rias Gremory: ”No… I havenʼt seen any manga, anime, or light novel with that title”]

That alone was strange. Rias, in particular, was deep into otaku culture. if it existed in their world as fiction, she would have known.

[Shiba Tatsuya: ”Erika, what about you? Do you know anything about this?”]

[Chiba Erika: ”...Iʼm not that familiar with the otaku culture in our world, but I donʼt think I have heard of it. Iʼm searching it now, and I didnʼt get anything.”]

[Suzuki Satoru: ”Then itʼs a truly new world and one we have no information of.”]

[Tsubakihara Yuuji: ”It seems so… All we can is infer what kind of world it was from the missions.”]

The mission details centered around a game, more specifically, a Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game known as Sword Art Online.

Yuuji was already familiar with MMORPGs. Translating that into a virtual reality setting wasnʼt difficult for him to imagine.

But this… This was something else entirely.

If it were just a VR game, it would likely function like the technology he knew. Players remained physically active in the real world, using controllers or motion tracking while viewing the game through a headset.

However, the term ”death game” changed everything.

That implied a level of immersion far beyond conventional systems.

Yuuji leaned back slightly, his thoughts sharpening as he began piecing things together.

This wasnʼt a partial immersion system. It was likely full-dive virtual reality.

A concept often explored in science fiction—where a userʼs consciousness is completely transferred into a digital environment. Their physical body would remain motionless in the real world, while their mind experienced the virtual world as if it were reality itself.

Sight. Sound. Touch. Perhaps even pain.

Everything simulated, yet real. At least to the players.

And if that were the case, then the final implication was unavoidable.

If a player died in the game… Their real body would die as well.

ʼThis kind of death game…ʼ

There had to be a mechanism enabling it.

Some form of neural interface, something that connected directly to the brain. If such a device could simulate sensory input, then it could just as easily disrupt vital functions.

Overload the nervous system. Interfere with brain signals. Shut down the body.

”…I see.”

He exhaled quietly.

[Tsubakihara Yuuji: ”The mission likely takes place entirely within the game world… meaning we wonʼt be able to use our magic or supernatural abilities.”]

[Shiba Tatsuya: ”Agreed. My magic probably wouldnʼt function in a system like that either.”]

[Lelouch Lamperouge: ”However, our skills, the proficiencies we obtain from the group chat, should still apply.”]

[C.C: ”The title is Sword Art Online. Sounds like itʼs focused on sword combat. People who rely on physical skill might do well. Obviously, I wonʼt be joining this one.”]

[Albedo: ”Likewise.”]

[Kiryuu Aika: ”Hm… Iʼll sit this one out too. Itʼs not really my kind of thing.~”]

[Rias Gremory: ”Thatʼs a shame… I was hoping to participate in the next mission, but since it would focus more on swords than magic, and thereʼs only one member that can participate, Iʼll sit this one out.”]

[Suzuki Satoru: ”Me too… I prefer being a spell caster better than a swordsman.”]

[Lelouch Lamperouge: Iʼm not suited for this either. Erika, Yuuji, Iʼll leave it to either of you.”]

[Chiba Erika: ”Eh? Me? No, this should be Yuuji! He has proficiency in swordsmanship and programming, and he also has a super computer and a super AI! Heʼll clear this mission easily!”]

[Shiba Tatsuya: ”Thatʼs true. Heʼll make light of this mission.”]

[Albedo: ”Agreed. My love would be perfect for this.”]

[Kiryuu Aika: ”Uhn~ Totally agree~”]

[Suzuki Satoru: ”Then, weʼll leave it to you, Yuuji-kun.”]

[Rias Gremory: ”Please be careful, Yuuji. I donʼt know how dangerous it would be, but if anyone can clear it, I believe it to be you!”]

[C.C: ”Take care.”]

Yuuji stared at the continuously appearing line of messages in the group chat in disbelief. 

Before he knew it, he was the one nominated unanimously by everyone in the group chat to be the participant of this mission.

ʼWell… I guess it made sense…ʼ

In addition to his proficiencies in Swordsmanship and Programming, as theyʼve said, he also had a supercomputer from the group chat and Ai, his extremely advanced artificial intelligence which bordered true intelligence. 

Moreover, while he was in the game, he could have Alice, Aria, Est, Ophis, and Semiramis take care of his protection and other things in the real world.

There was no one more suited.

”…Alright.”

His fingers moved.

[Tsubakihara Yuuji: ”...Alright. If everyone is okay with it, I will be taking on this mission.”]

The responses came quickly. Everyone agreed easily. 

Yuuji lowered his phone slowly, then glanced down.

At the four girls resting on him—peaceful, unaware, their breathing soft and steady.

A faint smile touched his lips.

”Girls…”

His voice was gentle.

”It looks like weʼre going on another mission.”

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AN: I hope you guys enjoy this chapter~! Please comment your thoughts~! I would love to hear what you think about it~!!!! 

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