Versatile: Alternate World

Nobuhiko Kasaguchi.

Said to be the man who revolutionized modern gaming and when the magic abilities surged due to his product, was also been dubbed the "Father of Magic Resurgence" due to his creation which leads people to access magic for the first time and prove that magic wasn't just a product of fiction and high people.

I last met him during the time I asked to get a new Nexus tattoo for both Akira and Sora and once more, we meet again.

The topic of our conversation is something I am still wondering but I still have to know what it was. Perhaps this returning to the past business was just some sort of free trial and now I am going to pay for the price? Perhaps, yes. Perhaps, no.

"Heh, based on the look on your face, you are confused as to why I decided to summon you out of the blue, after all these years that I didn't contact you or anything related to our current situation?"

I nodded in response.

"Haha, don't be shy, Zero, please escort him to his seat."

Zero, his assistant bowed down before leading me to another swivel chair that she just pushed in front of the table which divides the distance between myself and Nobuhiko.

"How time passes by, don't you think, young man?"

Instead of facing me directly, he turned his swivel chair facing its back on me as he stares outside the massive glass window that captures the scenery below.

"Based on the news that I hear about you, it seems you are using the knowledge from the past and using them to your advantage just fine. This is pretty impressive especially since you have turned your life around due to it and I must say, you have done your very best from it. It seems the time regression is worth it for you, hmmm?"

Although hesitant to ask, I decided to break his sentimental viewpoint and ask him the question that has been bothering me for quite a while.

"Ummm, are you perhaps here to reap the payment for returning to the past?"

"...Payment? Hahaha, wow, payment huh?"

He then started laughing like what I just said seemed to be the best joke he ever heard. And honestly, that doesn't sound bad... However, if I did that, someone would get real mad at me and I think I should hold off on that instead."

I frowned at his answer but I didn't have time to ask again as he started talking once more.

"You thought I was going to ask for payment from the service of returning to the past? To be honest, I wanted to do that but I decided not to do so as you won't be able to afford it anyways. But we are not here about that. I decided to call you today, to talk to you about the changes that you have brought to this world after your arrival."

"You mean my actions?"

"Yep. That's what we are going to discuss today. Aren't you excited?"

"Did I just do something wrong?" I asked.

"No, in fact, some of your actions benefitted us. Without your actions, some processes would have taken quite some time before they happen like the magic formation phenomenon. Without your intervention, it will take some time before it will happen. Now look, the magic formation is already happening pretty early and there are already mana particles scattered all over the world as well as the resources for magic tools are now present as well. All of this was due to your actions."

"But they should be arriving anyways, that's not really the main problem isn't it?" I scratch my chin as I still don't understand what he was saying.

"This is just one of the changes that have been happening that were affected by your actions. After all, you are not the only person who returned to the past but me and Zero as well. There are some things that should have happened in the past that didn't happen here in the new past and I think that should be fine but I didn't expect that your presence alone threatens the whole balance of the world."

"What do you mean?"

"Two worlds are now colliding and soon enough, they might merge or destroy each other in the process. If you still don't understand, let me show you some photos, and let me jog your memory for a bit."

His assistant, Zero immediately pushed a button on the table, and the windows is being covered and the room became dark with only a small and minimal light shining up.

Then, holographic images appeared in the air, just like how the holograms appear in the Alternate World and Holophones. There, it displays the image of a young man cutting off a big arm of a dragon from a portal. Then that's when I just realized it.

That was me. That was during the time the world seems to have gone through the second ice age at that time and the photo before me is none other than the exact time I sliced off the arm of the monster.

"Now you remembered? Although this was a one-time event that you managed to solve that wasn't just the only thing that you should be thinking about."

He then reaches out in the air and a little portal appeared where his hand was going. Similar to how we players of Alternate World grab an item on our inventory. He then pulls out the same beginner sword all sword-related class has in the very beginning. I immediately realized that the item he pulled out was indeed the Beginner Sword.

"I can already tell that you have already got access to your inventory and pull out anything inside as you will but have you ever wondered why you can open the inventory in the real world even though it was just a game?"

Then something just occurred to me. Why I didn't think of that? It was weird at first but it seems I immediately ignored it and thought that was just a feature or something my powers can do. Why I didn't question why I can access an inventory directly connected to a game?

"No need to be surprised about why you didn't realize it. That only means the product I made has been successful."

Wait... does that mean... I stood up in shock and it seems Nobuhiko already knew why.

"It seems you have finally understood why. Yes, Alternate World is not just a game, it's a parallel world similar to ours but with a fantasy setting. And the only way to access it is the Reality Verse which allows our bodies to be transported there. Your game character and your real body are one in a flesh. Which is why you feel fatigued, you are hurt, you feel hungry, and feel anything a real human needs in the real world to survive."

"Wait... so Alternate World... is not a game and our avatars are actually our real body, just modified to fit into that world? Then, what happens whenever we die? We resurrect every time we die."

"Oh, you technically did die. However, your body will regenerate once more into the cathedral, creating your new life. Technically, you resurrected and that's true but is that still your real body?"