Ah… this—
Borsalino froze.
A Dimensional Chat Group?
Was this… the long-overdue golden finger finally arriving?
So it wasn't that he never had a cheat—
It was just late. By several decades.
Thinking back on the grueling effort he'd poured into getting stronger, the countless times he'd been battered by harsh reality, Borsalino felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest.
The feeling was something like this: everyone else knew the exam was open-book, except for him—and only after the test ended did someone casually mention it. Worse yet, it was the college entrance exam.
His emotions were… complicated.
After all, it was reality that had forced him to abandon his ambitions and degenerate into a happy-go-lucky, paycheck-stealing slacker.
That's right—
It was the world's fault.
Definitely not because he was lazy by nature.
With those tangled feelings, Borsalino chose Accept.
[Ding. Welcome, Borsalino, to the Dimensional Chat Group!]
Borsalino joined the group chat.
[Kobayashi: Welcome, welcome~ Ma~ another newcomer joined the group, huh.]
[Haibara Ai: A newcomer? Judging by the name, sounds foreign. Hopefully not from some bizarre world.]
[Orochimaru: A new world… how fascinating.]
[Random Guy Who Wants to Hug Luo Feng's Thigh: Holy shit! Kizaru?!]
[Kobayashi: Eh? Random-san, you know the newcomer?]
[Haibara Ai: Too suspicious! Every time a new member joins, this guy recognizes them immediately—and he even changed his name to hide his identity. He's not some mastermind, is he?]
[Random Guy Who Wants to Hug Luo Feng's Thigh: I'm innocent! I'm just a completely ordinary transmigrator! How could I be some mastermind?! @True Man Zhang Sanfeng, please testify for me!]
[Kobayashi: Come to think of it, the six of us here—and the new member, Borsalino-san—seem to all come from different worlds.]
[Zhang Sanfeng: This old Daoist did indeed arrive earlier than young friend Lu Ren, but I was not the first to join the chat group either.]
[Orochimaru: The earliest member, yet the one who speaks the least… that is rather suspicious, isn't it, Jotaro-kun?]
[Kujo Jotaro: Give it a rest. What pointless probing.]
[Kobayashi: Random-san recognized Borsalino-san earlier, right? Why don't you introduce our group to him?]
[Haibara Ai: Kobayashi really likes mediating. Honestly, letting these guys fight wouldn't be such a bad thing.]
[Zhang Sanfeng: Harmony is precious. Young friend Kobayashi truly understands this principle.]
[Random Guy Who Wants to Hug Luo Feng's Thigh: Well then… @Borsalino, Admiral Kizaru, can you see what I'm saying?]
Borsalino, who had been silently observing this so-called Dimensional Chat Group, lifted his head.
He glanced at Fleet Admiral Sengoku, who was still droning on with a long-winded explanation. Just as Borsalino began wondering how he was supposed to speak in the chat group, his intended words automatically appeared.
[Borsalino: I can. Seems like you know me, little brother?]
[Random Guy Who Wants to Hug Luo Feng's Thigh: Uh, let me confirm something first. Right now it's the Sea Circle Calendar—ah, never mind, let me put it another way. Is Pirate King Roger dead yet? Has the Summit War started? Is the current Fleet Admiral Sengoku or Akainu?]
[Borsalino: The Pirate King Gol D. Roger was publicly executed many years ago. The Summit War hasn't happened yet. Fleet Admiral Sengoku is still alive and kicking—Sakazuki hasn't taken the position.]
A look of genuine interest spread across Borsalino's face.
To think that after transmigrating, he'd still run into a fellow countryman—
Though unfortunately, not from the same world.
Several branch Vice Admirals attending the meeting noticed the sudden smile on Admiral Kizaru's face and immediately tensed up.
Had something in Fleet Admiral Sengoku's speech hinted at a major internal consensus?
Otherwise, why would Admiral Kizaru suddenly smile like that? Was it because pirate activity in the New World had escalated? Was Headquarters planning a large-scale crackdown?
[Random Guy Who Wants to Hug Luo Feng's Thigh: Holy crap! So you're not Kizaru? No—wait! You're also a transmigrator?!]
[Borsalino: Is "transmigrator" supposed to mean someone with foreknowledge? Come to think of it, that pirate who spouted a lot of strange nonsense before dying also called himself one.]
[Random Guy Who Wants to Hug Luo Feng's Thigh: Ah… which unlucky brother was that? Freshly transmigrated and already ran into a big shot like you—talk about terrible luck!]
[Kobayashi: It sounds like Borsalino-san is quite an important figure. The one who died… was he someone you knew, Random-san?]
This Kobayashi fellow seemed worried the conversation might turn hostile and proactively stepped in to smooth things over.
Whether he was the Kobayashi Borsalino was thinking of or not remained unclear. Given that he was currently playing the role of a perfectly legitimate Marine Admiral, it wasn't exactly appropriate to ask directly.
[Random Guy Who Wants to Hug Luo Feng's Thigh: No. We're both transmigrators, but we're complete strangers. I was just thinking that guy probably died so miserably because he didn't have a cheat.]
Seeing that reply, Borsalino couldn't help but agree.
If he hadn't transmigrated into young Kizaru, he might've already died in some nameless stretch of sea himself.
[Kobayashi: I see… that's good then. But we still don't know Borsalino-san's identity. Random-san, could you introduce him to us? Oh, right—I'm Kobayashi, an extremely ordinary programmer. My hobby is cute maid girls! That's all!]
[Random Guy Who Wants to Hug Luo Feng's Thigh: I can, sure—but… Admiral Kizaru doesn't mind, right? Hmm, should I introduce myself too? I'm just a completely ordinary trash-tier transmigrator. No cheating, no powerful background. My dream is to cling to the thigh of Luo Feng, the protagonist of the Swallowed Star world!]
[Zhang Sanfeng: Young friend Lu Ren need not belittle himself. This old Daoist is Zhang Sanfeng, unworthy head of the Wudang Sect.]
Borsalino waited for a bit, but the remaining three didn't bother introducing themselves.
Thinking about their personalities, that seemed perfectly normal.
Besides, whether they said it or not, he already knew exactly who they were.
The feeling that everyone else was using their real names while he alone hid behind a mask was… unexpectedly entertaining.
[Borsalino: I don't mind. But earlier, you mentioned coming from other worlds—what exactly does that mean?]
Since he'd already decided to browse the internet behind a mask, he might as well commit fully to the role. Even if the disguise seemed pointless for now, it might someday give someone with ulterior motives a very pleasant surprise.
[Kobayashi: Ma~, it's exactly what it sounds like. Including Borsalino-san, everyone here seems to come from different worlds or even different eras. For example, Grandpa @Zhang Sanfeng appears to be someone from several hundred years ago. I even found his name online once.]
[Random Guy Who Wants to Hug Luo Feng's Thigh: No, no—these are purely different worlds. One of you is from a magic world, another from martial arts. There's no way that fits into one timeline.]
[Kobayashi: But there's no magic in my world! Stuff like going outside and picking up a dragon sounds like a fairy tale!]
[Orochimaru: Heh. If you ever do pick up a dragon, Kobayashi-kun, be sure to let me know. I have a strong interest in all special lifeforms.]
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
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