Chapter 1

The air split, sharp cracking sounds split the air as a long wooden nodachi repeatedly cut through the air. A young man with long purple hair tied into a pony tail on the back repeatedly swung the sword with concentration.

Soon later the swinging soon stopped as he put down his extra long sword. There was silence but he knew better as his ears twitched. A faint knocking sound coming from the main door. An ordinary person would not be able to hear it. But he had trained himself to surpass all the previous Sasaki's.

He opened the locks before the door opened to reveal a woman in business attire. Kojiro's instincts screamed "VIXEN!" He knew a cunning and deceiving woman when he saw one. The woman seemed a bit angry but nevertheless maintained her composure. Kojiro opened his mouth to speak but then realised he wasn't in Japan anymore, he hated his automatic speaking of Japanese.

"Hello, what can I do for you?"

The woman straightened herself before talking. "I'd like to extend a contract for you-"

"No thanks."

Instant denial by Kojiro, in an elegant way of course. The woman seemed to freeze before trying again. "I'm Kim Hannah, from Sinyoung Pharmaceuticals, we'd like to extend an offer for a contract with you."

"Thank you for taking your time to visit me and even talk but I'm not interested in a contract."

Kim Hannah froze. This was the second time that something like this had happened. "Have you already been to that side?"

Kojiro stayed silent as he contemplated her words. He needed more information.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, shouldn't you know better?"

No mark either, he was similar to the other man that she had used her precious gold stamp on. The man was pondering hard, that was when it hit her like a truck. He really had not known anything and had been using her to gather information.

Like that, the fox had been outwitted with elegance and grace.

Kojiro gave a charming smile, "So what's this about the other side? And about why did you freeze when I refused a contract? Is there a different type of contract? Maybe an invitation or a candidate?" Kim Hannah tried to remain as composed as she could, this man was more dangerous than Jihu whom she had visited a few hours ago. He had known nothing and had figured out there was something off with the contract and there must have been something else.

Seeing the long nodachi behind him, she knew what it was, it was an artefact, a piece of history that refused to wither away, polished and refurbished for the next wielder. The Legendary Laundry Drying Pole, the Monohoshizao. She gulped as her composure wavered a bit before telling him what she could. Kojiro still looked at her, "I still don't want any benefits nor do I want any additional help. I want to enter the other side through pure swordsmanship."

Kim Hannah looked at him blankly, before her eyes widened, did the gods plan this or something? Inside her purse held a stamp, an invitation yet it held no colour, simply plain and white. Kojiro wore an elegant smile that showed smugness, a hit to her pride. She glared at him "I only have one condition as this invitation doesn't contain any benefits, it simply allows you to have the chance to enter. So make sure you check in with me alone, I'll be your manager you hear?" His smile grew even more wide and more smug as her fuse was already short from Jihu.

She impulsively slammed the stamp onto his hand before giving him a slap. "Wipe that smile off your face." A letter was pushed into his hand before she stormed off in the midst of night. She stopped as she turned back "The gate opens at 10:30 PM tonight. Make sure you survive you smug asshole."

Kojiro entered his house as he stared at the Monohoshizao, "I guess a time to use you has come." He grabbed the blade and his sheath along with his attire. He now wore a traditional light purple umanori hakama and kimono, light purple tabi and black zori sandals with purple haori and tekkou (wristbands, kind of.) and his sword, Monohoshizao strapped on his back.

He only had an hour left as he got ready and made sure to grab his little word book for more complicated Korean words. He opened the letter as he read it with an eager look.

~~~~~

Greetings!

We would like to thank you for accepting our Invitation to Lost Paradise, a foreign world that is connected to ours.

Lost Paradise is a world for the select few.

A world full of heart-pounding adventure and dazzling riches! It is a world of living, breathing legendary ruins and fierce competitions!

This Invitation letter will guide the honorable guest to the steps of Eden and help you escape the drudgery of everyday life!

*This Invitation letter is only issued to an honourable guest with the approval of the golden stamp.

*The opening time for the Gate is 10:30 PM, March 16th, 2017. We recommend that the guest open this letter at that time in a secluded place.

*This Invitation letter is required during the confirmation of the Marking as well as the starting bonus giveaway. Do not lose this letter and please bring it with you.

*This Invitation letter allows the honoured guest to bring along another person as an aide.

~~~~~

Kojiro nodded before storing away the letter in his inner pocket. He was ready, he did not need much apart from his Monohoshizao and his comfortable attire in case combat was needed. He guaranteed many others would bring weapons. After all it's a fantasy world that has come true, what fantasy world doesn't have monsters?