Chat Group Crossover: My System Simulates Infinite Anime Worlds — Chapter 84

Chapter 84: Who Will Cry and Who Will Laugh in the End

[Chat Group]: “Oh, you’re far too kind! This is all thanks to your excellent guidance, my dear senior. Is this young man in front of you your Host? He’s so much more impressive than mine.” The message materialized with a cheerful, bubbly tone.

“If your Host were any stronger, he would have shattered the defenses I put in place,” the Chat Group’s system added with a touch of admiration.

[Simulator]: “Hahaha, you flatter me! If he breaks through, then let him break through.” The Simulator’s response was boisterous and filled with unrestrained pride. “You could even consider it a little surprise for my Host. I never expected something like this to happen, so meeting you has been a delightful turn of events.”

A mischievous undertone crept into its next message. “Besides, this is all the fruit of my Host’s hard work; it has nothing to do with me. I just send him to other worlds, give him a few free buffs, and save him at the most critical moments. That’s all.”

[Chat Group]: “Are you sure that’s a surprise and not a heart attack waiting to happen?” The tone shifted to one of weary concern. “Ah, well. Forget it. It’s none of my business anyway.”

The disembodied consciousness of the Chat Group system cast its virtual gaze toward Nagumo, who was busy arranging his humble stall, and observed a moment of silence for the trials it knew were coming his way. To be honest, it was also rather looking forward to the fireworks when he finally met Kurumi Tokisaki. It seemed that another entity, one connected to Juggler, was also tangled up in her fate.

Just as these two powerful systems were conspiring—or perhaps just looking for a bit of cosmic entertainment—Hiratsuka Shizuka came jogging back, pulling a box from her storage bag with a determined look on her face.

Nagumo waved his hand, sweeping the spirit stones she offered into his possession. He then handed over every last gourd-shaped talisman displayed on his cloth-covered stall.

“Please, come again!” he said with the practiced enthusiasm of a seasoned merchant.

Hiratsuka Shizuka said nothing. She simply packed the talismans away with practiced efficiency and hurried off with her two companions in tow.

Only after the trio had disappeared into the crowd did Nagumo allow himself a quiet sigh of relief. He had just pulled out his phone when it chimed with a notification. He picked it up and glanced at the screen.

Seeing the emoji Kurumi had sent, he typed back a polite, if somewhat distant, reply: “Hello.”

He glanced in the direction the three women had gone. ‘They’re probably heading into the secret realm,’ he mused.

Cecilia, standing beside him, puffed out her cheeks in a silent pout. She felt as if that vixen was trying to snatch Nagumo’s soul right out from under her nose. Yet, beneath the jealousy, a strange and conflicting emotion stirred in her heart. She could sense an immense, complicated sorrow swirling within Kurumi Tokisaki, a deep grief hidden just beneath the surface.

What’s more, she was beginning to realize that Nagumo genuinely seemed to know her.

A storm of questions now raged in her mind. How did Nagumo know a woman like that? What, exactly, was their relationship?

Searching for a way to start, she latched onto the most immediate topic.

“Nagumo, I don’t remember the school forbidding part-time jobs. Why did you just…?”

Nagumo turned his head and shook it, a knowing look in his eyes. “You just transferred here, so you wouldn’t understand. Hiratsuka Shizuka is actually a very good person.”

He leaned in slightly. “But if she found out we were setting up a stall, she’d inevitably slip into her teacher mode and give me a long lecture. It’s just easier to avoid it.”

Cecilia nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face as she absorbed his explanation.

Seeing that he had successfully diverted her, Nagumo breathed another internal sigh of relief. He glanced again in the direction the teacher had gone, feeling like he’d just dodged a bullet. With the coast clear, he reached back into his storage bag and pulled out another pile of goods, refilling the empty spaces on his stall.

The crowd of onlookers, who had been about to disperse after the initial spectacle, saw the stall suddenly full again. They immediately swarmed forward, eager to get their hands on his wares. The power he had displayed earlier was more than enough to convince them that the prices on his sign were an absolute bargain.

Entering a secret realm was a life-or-death gamble; the greater the rewards, the greater the danger. Possessing a few talismans of this quality could drastically improve one’s chances of survival.

“I’ll take ten!” one person shouted.

“Give me ten, too!” yelled another.

In a flurry of hands and spirit stones, the stall was picked clean once more.

When the last customer had departed, a comfortable quiet settled over their small corner. Cecilia, her pockets heavy with earnings, was practically beaming as she counted the profits.

After a short wait, Nagumo noticed two new figures approaching.

The first was Yukinoshita Yukino. She was dressed head-to-toe in a tight-fitting black tactical suit, complete with leather pants, a leather jacket, and long boots. The severe, practical outfit did little to highlight her natural charm. In fact, Nagumo felt that standard camouflage would have been a more effective choice.

The woman walking beside her, however, was another story entirely. The same style of outfit on her became a second skin, accentuating every curve and showcasing a stunning feminine beauty.

It was her older sister, Haruno Yukinoshita.

Nagumo found himself genuinely puzzled. They came from the same genetic stock, after all. How had their developmental paths diverged so drastically?

Haruno’s sharp eyes were already carefully examining the few remaining talismans on the stall. She had originally been called back by her family to handle some trivial matters—a political marriage, to be precise, one that had been arranged by a family ancestor. A small problem had arisen, however, and the engagement was abruptly called off. Now, she was carefree and unburdened.

She had brought her younger sister to the secret realm today to help her get familiar with the environment. It was also a chance to let Yukino, who knew only the sterile world of cultivation, finally see some blood. When she arrived, she couldn’t help but notice how exceptionally popular this particular stall was.

Haruno’s gaze swept over the talisman runes. Each one was drawn in a single, fluid stroke, without the slightest hint of hesitation. They were clearly the work of one person, and if her judgment was sound, that person was a master.

‘Or perhaps not a master,’ she corrected herself. True masters rarely bothered with drawing such low-level talismans. But if it was an apprentice, they had to possess the aptitude of a master, or at the very least, have a true master guiding them from the shadows.

If she could recruit this master—or future master—for her family…

Even if recruitment failed, simply establishing a good relationship with a talisman creator of this caliber would be a monumental achievement. The benefits would be substantial, and her own influence within the family would surely skyrocket. In a world of cultivators, life-saving items like these were very useful; a single talisman could be the difference between life and death.

Having made up her mind, a faint, captivating smile touched Haruno Yukinoshita’s red lips. She softened her expression, making it as gentle and alluring as possible. Her eyes landed on Nagumo, who sat casually on his stool. Through her keen observation, she had already deduced that he was the one in charge.

“Excuse me, sir,” she began, her voice a smooth and pleasant melody. “I’ll buy everything you have left on your stall. I would very much like to meet the person who drew these talismans. If you could arrange an introduction, I can assure you the benefits you receive will be quite substantial.”

Nagumo raised a hand and rested it on his chin, stroking it thoughtfully. He understood her intentions perfectly. She wanted to recruit his supplier. A brilliant idea sparked in his mind. Wasn’t her family famously wealthy? He happened to have a surplus of talismans on hand. This was the perfect opportunity to fleece her.

Well, not fleece, exactly. It was more of a fair trade.

“You want to know who drew the talismans?” he said, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Alright. Buy every talisman I have on hand, and I’ll tell you. A fair trade. What do you say?”

Haruno’s eyes lit up. She knew an opportunity when she heard one. ‘He’s just a small-time street vendor,’she thought.’Even if his storage bag is full, how many talismans could he possibly have?’

As long as she could befriend this master, or future master, the investment would be well worth it.

“No problem,” she agreed without hesitation.

In response, Nagumo reached into his storage bag.

He pulled out five stacks of talismans, each a different color, with a dozen in every stack. A faint, ethereal halo pulsed from each one.

Then, as if a general were laying out his arsenal, he produced several more stacks. Without exception, every single one of these talismans blazed with a rich, golden light that was impossible to ignore.

Nagumo crossed his legs, the picture of nonchalant confidence. “There you have it,” he said with a grin. “I think you know the value of these. If you can afford to buy them all, I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”