As the Reincarnation Paradise's prompt echoed in the air, Su Xiao noticed that many other contractors around him suddenly had grim expressions. It seemed that the contractors were being transported into derivative worlds simultaneously in large batches.
"You've got to be kidding me! Why am I entering the Hunter x Hunter world? It's over, I'm done for. I'm dead for sure! Anyone willing to team up in a temporary adventure group? I'll pay everything I have—2,000 Paradise Coins!" A woman's desperate cry came from a distance, catching Su Xiao's attention. He looked in her direction.
After her outburst, the contractors nearby gave her mocking looks.
There were several high-risk derivative worlds in Reincarnation Paradise—One Piece, Bleach, Hunter x Hunter, and a few others. Entering these worlds often meant certain death for most contractors.
There was even a rumor that 30 contractors had once entered the One Piece world during the timeline when Luffy fought Captain Morgan. Only two survived; the others perished.
"Please, someone help me. I'm begging you." the woman pleaded desperately, glancing at the contractors around her. However, none of them showed any sympathy. Some even laughed coldly. In Reincarnation Paradise, it was a harsh reality that no one could be relied on but oneself—unless you were part of a stable adventure group.
Su Xiao didn't care about the woman's fate. He wasn't a saint. However, he did take note of something she mentioned: adventure groups. This seemed to be a way for contractors to team up.
After quietly asking Reincarnation Paradise for more information, he learned that there were two types of adventure groups: temporary and permanent.
A temporary adventure group was formed by contractors who didn't know each other but were entering the same derivative world. In the trading market, many contractors had already posted recruitment notices. If other contractors were going to the same world, they could team up temporarily.
Permanent adventure groups, on the other hand, were more formal. To establish one, contractors needed to register in the Adventure Hall of Reincarnation Paradise and then complete specific tasks assigned by the Paradise. Once the tasks were finished, the contractor could form a permanent adventure group, becoming the leader and inviting others to join.
Being part of a permanent adventure group meant that contractors of similar levels would enter the same derivative world, significantly increasing their chances of survival.
As a Hunter, Su Xiao had no intention of joining any group. What if his hunting target turned out to be one of his teammates? That would be a nightmare.
But something about the idea of a permanent adventure group intrigued him. There were special bonuses for being in one. What if he formed a permanent group consisting only of himself?
It wasn't about having teammates—Su Xiao didn't care about that. But the bonuses offered by permanent adventure groups were tempting.
However, it was too early to seriously consider that. To establish a permanent adventure group, he needed to reach Level 10 first.
There were still three minutes left before entering the derivative world. Su Xiao took a deep breath, preparing for the imminent transfer.
Just then, a familiar voice rang out.
"A worker looking for a team! I'll listen, won't cause trouble, and I have support abilities!"
Su Xiao glanced over and saw that the one shouting was the little girl who looked remarkably like Connor—Hiroro. According to her info, she was entering the Tokyo Ghoul world, the same world as Su Xiao.
Su Xiao glanced over and saw that the one shouting was the little girl who looked remarkably like Kanna—Xiluo. According to her info, she was entering the Tokyo Ghoul world, the same world as Su Xiao.
What a coincidence—Xiluo was a worker and only entered derivative worlds every two months. And now, she just so happened to be entering the same world as him.
Su Xiao didn't approach her. He had a hunting mission in the Ghoul world, and taking her along would only be a hindrance. Besides, he wasn't one for babysitting.
A beep from Reincarnation Paradise interrupted his thoughts.
[Time's up. Derivative World: Tokyo Ghoul is now open. Resetting timeline… Timeline reset complete. Time and space energy consumed: 0.03 ounces.]
[Due to the consumption of 0.03 ounces of time and space energy, the contractor must achieve a minimum composite rating of C in this world.]
A wave of noise erupted across the market square. Several contractors looked particularly distressed.
Xiluo's face went pale, and she clenched her fists, despair evident in her eyes. An old man, holding a golden staff, suddenly roared in anger.
"Who messed up the balance in the Ghoul world? It must be because the child of destiny died before the plot even started. Ken Kaneki is a complete weakling early on…"
Before the old man could finish his outburst, Su Xiao felt the familiar sensation of being teleported.
As his consciousness blurred, Su Xiao wondered to himself, Will I run into another monster like the Void Sword Master?
This concern was unwarranted. Encountering the Void Sword Master before had been a one-in-a-million chance.
When his senses returned, Su Xiao found himself inside a building.
It appeared to be an office building with Japanese-style decorations. There was a massive aquarium embedded in one wall, with ornamental fish swimming inside.
It was nighttime, and the building was brightly lit, though no one was in sight.
Just as Su Xiao was about to move, he noticed a light barrier surrounding him, gently pushing him back to his original spot. A countdown appeared in front of him: 5 minutes 30 seconds.
The situation was clear. He couldn't leave for another five minutes.
He wasn't the only one here. Nearby, about a dozen other contractors stood, including Xiluo, who was with a few others in the same light barrier. It seemed she had already found some protectors and formed a temporary adventure group.
Temporary adventure groups were relatively safe since contractors in the same group couldn't attack each other while in the derivative world. However, there was a downside—contractors could forcefully leave a temporary group for a penalty of 10,000 Paradise Coins.
In total, there were 18 contractors present. Two teams stood out—one group had five members, and the other seven. The rest were solo players, as indicated by the individual light barriers.
The old man with the golden staff, whom Su Xiao had noticed earlier, spoke up first.
"Everyone, stay on guard. The timeline has been reset, meaning we're back at the very beginning of the plot. I'm Han Yu. Some of you may have heard of me."
The old man, clearly the leader of the seven-member group, was trying to rally support from the others.
The five-member group looked uneasy at the mention of Han Yu's name. It seemed they recognized his reputation. Some of the solo players also turned their attention toward him.
Su Xiao ignored Han Yu. Instead, he sensed something approaching—quickly. His heightened intelligence had sharpened his senses.
Something's coming, he thought. From behind the left wall of the lobby.
Boom!
Just as Han Yu was about to continue speaking, a loud crash erupted. The left wall of the lobby shattered, and several figures flew out from the debris, collapsing on the ground, either unconscious or dead.
A woman with flowing purple hair emerged from the hole in the wall. She had an alluring figure and a faint smile on her lips.
"Why run? Wouldn't it be better if I just ate you?" she said playfully, walking toward the fallen people.
"Help… help me…" one of the fallen men, dressed like a middle-aged office worker, weakly raised his hand, as if begging for rescue.
The sight stunned many contractors. Even Han Yu, who had been calm moments ago, looked grim. Clearly, he feared the purple-haired woman.
The other contractors watched in terror as the ghoul, Rize Kamishiro, approached. Without the protective light barrier, they knew they were at her mercy.
Su Xiao, however, was intrigued as he sized up Rize. There was a strange look in his eyes.
He suddenly had a bizarre feeling.
It seemed like… he could take her on.
Heh heh heh…
(End of Chapter)
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Translator's Note :- I am Not that familiar with a lot of the fictional worlds mentioned in the story. So if I make a mistake naming something please correct me by writing a paragraph comment on the mistake. Thank you.