What a day. After we barely managed to get to school early, I was bombarded with surprise pop quizzes, homework, more Damon and Zac debates, and basically trying to fetch Kazuki after school again. Thankfully for the latter, today was a bit different as Damon and Zac were tagging along with me, during which for once, I was relieved to see them not fighting as they usually do whenever I'm around. It made sense considering all of us were now playing <Isekai Online> and they also wanted to take a break from school-related stuff. So rather than going straight home, we decided to stop somewhere first.
"I am so excited to get back in <Volo> later! I got plans to level my [Masteries] up to higher levels today." Zac loudly declared while raising his hands up in the air like a crazy sports fan. "What about you, guys? Do you have any plans to level up your [Masteries] as well?"
Damon sighs as turns to Zac. "You do realize that I just started the game yesterday. How about you try and help me navigate and battle in the fields?"
"Oh, come on. Isn't the <Training Hall> enough for you? Besides, you're practically a king when it comes to using guns and that strange weapon of yours highly resembles reminds one."
"Yeah, but real-life experience isn't enough for me. Besides, you don't hear Hayate and Kazuki bragging about how easy it was for them to just kill a few monsters just because they know so much archery and magic in real life."
"Guys, don't drag me into your petty feuds again," I groaned as I averted my eyes away from the two. "But to be honest, my plans depend on what Kazuki really wants to do today."
Zac then frowned as he turns his attention towards me. "Are you sure? You can just enter the game by yourself since you're old enough to do so."
"I would, but..." I turned my attention towards Kazuki, who stopped walking and stared at the store window of a popular bookstore in awe. I guess he was too distracted to eavesdrop on our conversation. "I just want to play the game alongside Kaz. He's really wanted to play <Isekai> ever since he heard about it from our Dad. And as his older brother, I want to make sure he's not only there to witness everything on launch day, but I promised to keep him safe from any harmful situations. And until he knows how to brave things by himself, I have to keep an eye on him and enjoy the game by his side."
As I finished, the two stared at each other for a few seconds. Then, to my relief, they look back at me with smiles on their faces. "Yeah, you're right. MMOs are very similar to social media. One side is nice and friendly and the other is brutal and toxic. You have to tread the waters carefully or else, it may consume you completely."
"Zac's right. Anonymity is everywhere in this day and age, and you may never know what the other players' true intentions towards you and Kazuki might be." Damon said and crossed his arms as he approached me. "Besides, while the law forbids anyone from falsifying their information, that doesn't mean it will stop them from spreading toxicity and manipulating others for their own gain and entertainment. Just be careful who you meet and choose to trust in the game."
"Trust me, I'm trying my best... But those people from yesterday made me afraid of just being taken away from Kaz just to cook them some food for several hours." I groaned, knowing that I could get caught by those hungry players again. I doubted that some of them even cared that I was keeping an eye on my 12-year-old brother who just wanted to play the game with me in peace. "But I don't know if I go back in the game later. We still have homework to do and we only have a limited time if we do."
"Well, can't you try listening to people's request? Besides, you can make a quick buck if you and Kaz start up an in-game business together and you might able to buy some strong equipment to take on high-level monsters and [Quests]."
I quickly glanced towards Zac while frowning at his suggestion. "Because we're not just playing the game just for money and strength. And even if I was, I'd have to sacrifice my sleeping time just to cook in real-time and make sure everyone gets their orders right. Not only that, Kaz has to stay in the city because of the [Guardian Player] clause that I took."
"Actually, you don't need to waste hours cooking food for others."
My eyes widened and I turned around to see Kazuki approaching us. "Since your [Cooking] skill is the same as my [Alchemy], you could learn [Mass Production] at a certain level. If you can do that, you might have enough time to satisfy some of those players while also working on another recipe or helping me gain more experience with my combat [Masteries]. And yes, I got that from the game's wiki."
I didn't know that. I thought that ability was only limited to [Alchemy] skill users like Kaz. According to him, [Mass Production] allows him to create multiple potions in a few minutes. Depending on the number of ingredients and his [Mastery] level, he might be able to craft as many high-quality versions of that item. But I never thought I could use that ability for my [Cooking] skill. "Huh, I never thought of that before. Maybe I can try that later with my rabbit steak."
"At least you managed to solve that even with the <Isekai> wiki's help. Glad you did your research, Kaz!" Zac grins as he ruffled Kaz's hair before Kaz stops him and blushes red.
"Unlike someone I know, regarding his upcoming Math exam next week," Damon added as he smugly looked at the black-haired teen, which he frowns in response.
"Leave me and my math struggles out of this, Jacobs! I have my way of passing the exams, and you have yours."
"Come on, guys. Don't start this again." I groaned as I step forward between Damon and Zac. To be honest, I was getting tired of being peacekeeper between these two. Why can they get along for me and Kazuki's sake? "How about we get to the cafe Zac just mentioned and get this over with? It's almost our curfew and I seriously don't want to keep Kazuki waiting."
To my relief, the two stop arguing and glanced at me and Kazuki with a remorseful look on their faces. "Hayate's right. I don't want to miss this chance to try out their recommended food. Everyone in the school is raving about it right now!"
"Right, right. Let's go then."
With that, both Damon and Zac started off to our destination. I gestured Kazuki to come before we followed them.
----
After a few minutes, we arrived at a cafe in the southern district of Manhattan, which was just a train ride away from the subway near our neighborhood and school. As what Zac said, it had a cool vibe of the 2010s and some posters of movies that were released that decade, as well with some graffiti of the memes, hashtags, and other stuff that were popular that in those days. To be honest, I had a bit of knowledge about the 2010s, so it wasn't hard for me and my friends to recognize the references in here. I figure that's why Zac suggested this place in the first place. So far, the only surprise for me right now was that there was a table available just for us.
Once we sat down, Zac, Damon, and I picking up and read through our menus to see what kind of food they had. But as I read through mine, I noticed Kazuki was staring at the cafe in awe, looking around at every poster plastered on every wall in the building. He then stopped and his eyes perked up as he then tugged my shirt to get my attention. "Hayate, look, look!"
As I turned to where he was pointing, my eyes widened when I saw what it was: a movie poster promoting a fantasy movie. Yet unlike the other movies, it had been released about 14 years prior. The poster displayed three people of different races, one of which was a short young man and wearing a robe. In fact, it reminded me a lot of a certain fantasy novel from years ago, namely the same one that I had given to Kaz years ago. Now that I think about it, I wondered if he still had kept it since that day.
"Oh, that? Wasn't that the poster to the film adaptation of "The World of Seraph" in 2036?"
I quickly gasp when I hear Zac's voice. "Y-Yeah..."
"Wait, it got adapted into a movie? Why did no one tell me about it until now?!" Kazuki whined with a frown as he turns his attention towards Zac.
"Huh? You didn't know? It practically topped the box office on its opening day!" Zac declared as he grinned widely at Kazuki. "They even adapted other novels and made the action and suspense even more exciting! Some say it's like "The Lord of the Rings", but a lot cleaner and epic than the J.K. Rowling 2001 epic."
"Actually, "The Lord of the Rings" series was originally written by J. R. R. Tolkien in 1937," Damon spoke up as he put down his menu. "You're thinking of an author who wrote the "Harry Potter" series that was started in 1997 with "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone". But I do agree with Zac only regarding its presentation and special effects."
I didn't know that either. I just bought that novel to cheer Kazuki up, thinking it was just any random old fantasy book. I didn't expect it to be popular enough to have a movie adaptation, let alone a movie franchise that stands par with other film franchises based on books.
"Only?! Dude, are you aware of what you're saying right now?! The battles were awesome, the main characters were very likable, and the final conflicts in each movie kept me at the edge of my seat every time!"
"It is very exhilarating if you only watched the movies. Not only did they change most of the characters' personalities and exclude others, they changed many scenes and events that played out in the original novels. Just watching the changes onscreen makes me feel uncomfortable. They didn't even need to add that second battle in the castle before the heroes convinced Astar's assassins to give up and join their cause." As soon Damon said this, I silently groaned, knowing what will happen next.
"Hey! That battle is very impressive and heartbreaking! You don't diss the Second Battle of Warluk like that!"
"I'm not saying the battle is bad. I just wish the directors had at least tried to expand the whole meeting to fully justify their changing alliance rather than simply adding another battle scene into the third movie."
"Are you asking for a fight, Jacobs?! That scene was justified and there is no way they'll remove it!"
"I'm not saying it has to be removed. I'm just saying it should have been more accurate with the original source material. Why don't you try reading all of them and see if the scene is worth keeping?"
"And waste my whole day reading all of the novels just to compare them to the movies?! No way! The movies did their justice to them and there is no way they will cut news scenes out just to follow the novels' original events that won't cut for the two-hour length for each of the movies!"
At that point, I had finally reached my limit for their petty feud. I slammed my hands on the table, and was about to stand up and stop this, but...
"WOULD YOU TWO JUST SHUT UP AND CALM DOWN FOR A SECOND?!!"
Instead of standing up as I intended, I almost jumped out of my seat as I turned around to see Kazuki. But instead of seeing a fearful expression on his face, I saw a scowl and a somehow terrifying glare towards Damon and Zac, who were also startled by his yell as they also stared at him in shock. "I don't know much about the movies you've mentioned. But to tell you the truth, I don't care if certain scenes and characters were included, excluded, or changed in the movies. As long the movies showed the heroes conquering their torment and loss to win against the villains in the end just like in the novels, it's enough for me to be happy about them."
Wow. I knew he loved those "World of Seraph" books a lot, but I never knew how dedicated he was with them. I guess after I gave him that first book all that time ago, he had begun to immerse himself into the story to the point where he'd started saving enough money to buy the other books just to know what happened next. Suffice to say, it ignited Kaz's love of fantasy novels and by extension, his excitement over <Isekai Online>. More importantly, I think his words were enough to silence those two fanboys enough to realize their poor behavior.
"The kid's right, Zac. We shouldn't get all worked up over a franchise," Damon sighed with remorse. "Sorry about that."
"Yeah, I'm sorry for unfairly accusing you like that, too, Damon. Just one more outburst like that and we'd be no better than those people on social media." Zac frowns as he scratched the back of his head. "Thanks for the wakeup call, Kaz."
As soon we saw them make up, Kazuki and I smiled at their reconciliation. "That's okay. I'm just glad you two have made up."
"Yeah. Otherwise, the cafe owners might kick us out over such a loud, petty argument over a movie franchise." And to prove my point, I pointed behind Damon and Zac, which they turn around to see several customers staring at them in disbelief. And from what I could tell from their expressions and reactions, I knew they were not amused by Damon and Zac's fantasy movie debate.
"You have a point there. How about we make our orders now before we embarrass ourselves even more?"
"I agree. Besides, it's almost a few hours until our curfew."
I just nodded in agreement as we went back to our menus and once we decided on the food we wanted, I headed towards the counter to give the cashier our orders.