42 Hunger for Food and Chance Encounter

I just got to the inn when I checked the time on my interface. It was already 10:00 PM. I'd been out hunting all day, and while I expected it to take a while, I didn't think it would be this late. I haven't eaten anything, and I still need to cook. This wasn't what I had in mind.

I entered my room and quickly logged out of the game without bothering to check my stats. I need to find a balance between my gaming life and my real life; otherwise, it's going to cause chaos.

...

When I opened my eyes, I was back in the real world. My room was pitch black, not a single light in sight, and my stomach was growling. I wanted to eat, but I was too tired to cook. I had some money to spare, so I decided to grab a meal at a nearby ramen shop. There might be other options, but I had to pick one that wouldn't break the bank while still filling me up. Hopefully, it would satisfy my hunger.

Of course, I didn't forget to recharge my real body. I let my mana circulate, still fine-tuning it after a session in the alternate world. But with this gnawing hunger, it was hard to focus on anything else. I shook my head in frustration. Maybe once I filled my stomach, I could shake off this nagging sense of unease.

...

...

...

The streets of Tokyo were surprisingly lively even in the darkness of the night. People of all kinds hurried along with their own destinations. What irritated me, though, was the constant encounter with couples, their affectionate displays striking me as cringe-worthy. Perhaps my past betrayal had left me embittered towards them. I didn't particularly care that they gave me odd looks when I shot them disapproving glances. It simply grated on my nerves to witness their lovey-dovey behavior.

After walking for a while, I stumbled upon a ramen stall. It was empty, which spared me from waiting in line, yet it also felt somewhat lonely as I seemed to be the only customer apart from the chef.

Taking a seat on one of the stools, I placed my order. "I'll have the Special Ramen, please."

"Sure thing. How many bowls, young man?" the cook asked.

"Give me two; I'm quite hungry."

"Alright, please wait a moment," the cook replied.

As I waited for my ramen, I pulled out my phone and logged into the Alternate World forum. In the absence of my presence in the game, the forum served as a way to keep track of the world's progress. The first thing that caught my attention was news about the Blue Sky guild, claiming to be the first to reach the Capital. This piqued my interest because I was certain I had been the first to enter the Capital, and I couldn't believe that these individuals genuinely believed they were the pioneers.

Inside the forums, there's a lively discussion going on. Various players are engaged in debates, and casual conversations are happening all around. I search for an interesting topic and click on it to read the messages inside.

-----

Anon 1: It seems they broke the record again! First, they did it in the Elengarde Game, and now they're making their mark in Alternate World too!

Anon 2: These guys are undoubtedly top-tier players in the game. That's a fact.

Anon 3: But I'm wondering why I didn't get any notifications. Shouldn't there have been an announcement for the first players to reach the Capital?

Anon 1: Now that you mention it, there was no notification about their achievement.

Anon 2: Could it be that they've chosen to keep it private?

Anon 4: I doubt that. I've been following the Blue Sky guild since the Elengarde game, and they've always shared their accomplishments. This is the first time I haven't heard anything from them.

Anon 1: That is odd, isn't it?

Anon 5: Hey, I've stumbled upon something intriguing!

Anon 4: What's so interesting?

Anon 5: My little brother is actually part of the Blue Sky guild. He told me there was no announcement that they were the first to reach the Capital. So, it seems they're not the first after all.

Anon 1: If that's true, why wasn't there an announcement?

Anon 3: Well, isn't it obvious? The first player who entered the Capital didn't make an announcement. That means Blue Sky isn't the first!

----

The discussions dragged on, and despite the heated conversation, I didn't feel like reading anymore.

"Special Ramen, here's your first serving, sir," the cook announced as he slid a steaming bowl of ramen in front of me.

I nodded and eagerly grabbed the bowl. Right now, I couldn't care less about the ongoing discussions. All I wanted was to satisfy my growling stomach. The taste of the ramen remained just as delicious as I remembered. It made me realize I should plan a get-together with my old friends, especially with classes starting in a week. Gaming might have to take a backseat for a while, but reconnecting with my dear friends was worth it.

Knowing their future, I was determined to change their fate in this timeline. I was determined to ensure my friends never ended up in that dead-end future.

As I relished the food in my bowl, I suddenly heard a voice beside me.

"I'll have the Special Ramen too."

The waiter asked, "How many bowls for you, miss?"

"Just one, thank you," she replied.

I glanced at the person who had ordered the same ramen as me, and I couldn't believe my eyes. What were the odds of running into her here? The woman with the tattoo was sitting right next to me—Rika Tsukinara, also known as Harmless Sparrow!

Her again? Is she following me from the game world and in the real world? Why am I always running into her? Is this intentionally something she did to spite me or fate is just causing us to meet and make us total acquaintances rather than normal rivals in the game?