Knock! Knock!
The sound of knocking against the wooden door resounds within the guests room, yet there was no feedback nor an expected response. Whispering could be heard behind the closed door, until the knock begins again. And again. A few moments later, the handle twisted and the door opened as the grumpy Rias walks inside.
"Hey, do you know how long my brother was waiting for y—huh?"
"Hm? What's wrong Rias? Are they still asleep?" Issei asked, he stepped inside just after her and saw what makes her stunned. Three sizeable capsules took over the center of the room. And within them, the Red Dragon Emperor saw Kousuke, Morgan, and Akeno laying inside with a peaceful expression on each of their faces.
He and Rias had just eaten a breakfast with the Gremory Family, and Sirzechs told them to get Kousuke and the rest for the promised tour since they hadn't comes out of the guests room despite everyone supposed to be there.
"What is this thing?" Rias muttered while eyeing the capsule, something within her is telling her that this is a treasure. It looks like a sleeping pod, but how good can it be that they wouldn't stir at all from the sound of consecutive knocking?
"Maybe it's soundproof," Issei suggested, he tried knocking on the hatch when the person inside begins to stir. Kousuke abruptly opened his eyes and saw Issei and Rias peeking from the outside. He let out a chuckle and slowly raise his body up, the hatch automatically opened making the two jumped backward out of surprise.
"What's up?" He asked casually after exiting the capsule. Kousuke didn't expect for his girlfriends to becomes so addicted to the game that they wouldn't come out when he told them someone from the outside was knocking on their door. He decides to just let them do their thing and exit the game first.
"My brother asked me to comes and get you, have you forgotten about the tour?" Rias said with a bit of thorn in her voice. She was slightly upset at him for making her brother wait when this whole thing was his idea. However, she was much more curious about the capsule, so her mind immediately forget about being upset at him as she asked. "Anyway, what is this thing? Why aren't the two still awake yet?"
"Oh right, the tour, it really slipped out of my mind." Kousuke laugh a little, that was the whole reason they came to Underworld to begin with. He wasn't particularly looking forward to it or anything, so it's given that he almost forgot about them the second something interesting like his project popped up.
"This thing here is my baby." He said with a hint of pride in his voice as he lightly pat the capsule. Then, he continues with a mysterious smile, "it lead to a new world."
He wasn't entirely lying, it brings people to virtual world. A world dictated by zero and one, rules that can be configure with just keyboard and a mouse, or in this case. at the mere wave of his hand. Although it was still in early Alpha, the game does have a huge map that spans around 30 km. And right now, Morgan and Akeno were leading a merchant caravan through a route that has high chance of running into bandits. The witch seems to enjoys swinging a sword around since she used to conjure spell from the distance, while his half fallen girlfriend had taken a liking at commanding summoning creatures.
"New world? What are you talking?" Issei asked. "You can't mean the Dreamland right?"
"Well, that isn't entirely wrong either," Kousuke answered with a smirk. To the people of this era, this machine might as well be the work of sci-fi fiction. He doesn't understand how magic exists, yet no one does something that could make life much more convenient. Or something to entertain themselves, like he did. People truly cares only for themselves, he couldn't help but shook his head.
"With this thing, you can play a video game more fun than anything this world has to offered."
He initially just wanted to make a video game like Sword Art Online or Shangri-La Frontier. He loves reading those manga and their adventures in virtual world as they made a name for themselves. He also wanted to experience how it is to be Game Master, but he realized the capsule have more potential than just for playing video game. For example, people who were born with defect, like blindness could live a normal life in the virtual world. And it wasn't just them, many others with defects that makes it difficult for them to live an ordinary life.
"This is...a gaming console?" Rias muttered with perplexed tone. "So you're telling me Akeno is actually enjoying playing a video game right now? That Akeno that often reject my invitation to play gacha game?"
"Gacha game? Yeah, that checks out." He said with a nod. Issei was about to agree as well when he saw Rias glaring at him, so he whistles.
"What? Do you have some problem with gacha game?"
"Tsk tsk, once you try my game, you wouldn't even look at gacha game the same way anymore." Kousuke answered smugly.
"Hoh? Are you that confident or just an ignorant fool?" Rias said with a sly smile. "Not to brag, but I've tried all gacha games that had been out since the earlier days of microtransaction, so I am quite knowledgeable~"
"Ah, so pitiful, I couldn't look at your girlfriend talking so prideful about mankind's worst creation," Kousuke said with a genuine pitiful look on his face as he pat Issei's on the shoulder. "It must be hard on you, my boy. To think your partner would fall so deep into that rabbit hole. A devil being toyed around by the worst scum of humanity, truly unimaginable."
"Excuse me?!" Rias muttered with the most offensive looks she can muster. Issei didn't answered, but the small tears from the corner of his eyes was enough for the two boys to reached some sort of understanding between them.
"Alright, I shall be the devil's advocate for you my friend, come, get inside," Kousuke said and urge Rias to enter the capsule. Noticing the two reaching a strange mutual understanding, Rias pressed her lips together, clearly trying to keep her composure. Of course Kousuke didn't forget to erase his brainwave signature on the capsule, otherwise Rias wouldn't be able to try the game.
"Hehehe, are you sure? Cause if it doesn't meet my expectations, I won't be gentle with my criticism you know?" Rias said coldly. She didn't plan going easy on him just because he is her Queen's boyfriend, especially not after making fun of her like that. He will soon come to regret in allowing her to play his game, she was certain even if she enjoyed it somehow, she will still find someway to criticize it. Gacha gamers has their dignity(read picky) to upheld after all.
"Enough talking, just get in." Kousuke said nonchalantly.
"Fine, don't tell me I didn't warn you, hmph."
When the red haired devil finally went into the capsule, the hatch immediately closed down as the two boys stares at her as Rias stared back at them with a pout.
"Are you sure this is working? You aren't pulling a prank right?" Issei pulled him back and whispered.
"Don't worry my boy, this is one of my proudest achievement yet!" Kousuke replied with a grin, then he turned around to face Rias. He snickered internally, he didn't expect for that day to arrive so soon. Unbeknownst to Rias, he had secretly begins recording her the moment she slipped into the capsule. He had no evil motive for this, it was just a little prank.
"Now Rias, close your eyes and repeat what I say loud and clear." He said with a serious look on his face. Though in reality, he was giggling like a little girl in his mind. The next process wasn't necessary to begin with. But that's where the fun part is. Just imagine the reaction when he break the news to Rias while playing her embarrassing recording tape on the wide screen? It would be insanely hilarious!
"LINK START!"