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[Ding! Anchoring world coordinates...]
[Ding! World coordinates anchored successfully! Based on the Host's memory retrieval, the current world is "One Piece". Does the Host wish to begin the Crossing?]
"Oh wow, it's this world! This is going to be incredible! My collection finally has a purpose!"
"Not crossing yet!"
The moment Kaito saw that the newly discovered world was One Piece, one of the three great shonen manga of his previous life, his first thought was that he could finally put the Dimensional Gate sub-gate to use.
He had followed One Piece faithfully in his past life, all the way up until Doflamingo's defeat. After that, the story had stretched on long enough that he eventually stopped keeping up. He only knew from what he had seen online that the Holy Knights had recently made their appearance.
That thought made him curious about one thing in particular. He wondered how the Holy Knights would stack up against his Royal Knights.
Kaito cleared his throat loudly.
"Ahem! Everyone, I have an announcement."
The three of them immediately stopped arguing and looked over.
"So. I've found coordinates to a new world. Anyone want to come along?"
"WHAT! Kai-chan, you've found another world? Which one is it this time?"
"Wait, another world?"
Kaito looked at Milim's completely bewildered face and took a moment to explain his situation to her.
"What?! You mean you've all been visiting other worlds without me?! That's not fair, not fair at all! I want to go too! I want to go, I want to go, I want to go!"
Milim threw herself onto the ground and rolled back and forth, making it very clear she was not getting up until she got what she wanted.
Kaito looked down at her helplessly.
"I never said you couldn't come. If you want to go, then come along."
Milim sprang off the ground with a flip that would have impressed a gymnast.
"Kai-chan! Promise me you won't take it back!"
"Yes, yes, I promise, I won't take it back."
Veldora, who had been listening, immediately shuffled over and leaned close.
"Hey, hey! I'm your best friend. You can't leave me behind!"
"Everyone's coming, everyone! I never said anyone wasn't invited!"
"Hahaha! As expected of my best friend, Storm Dragon Veldora approves!"
Kaito didn't bother acknowledging that and turned to Rimuru instead.
"Right, Rimuru, you'll know this one. The new world is One Piece!"
Rimuru's eyes lit up like stars.
"Really?! Then I want to be an island lord! I want to be a king! I want to conquer everything!"
"Wait, you can do all of that? Then I want to do it too!"
"Hahaha! And I, the great one, shall also do it!"
Kaito looked at the three of them, already buzzing with plans to cause as much chaos as possible, and couldn't help himself.
"Veldora, Milim, you two are practically rulers already. And Rimuru, aren't you a king right now?"
Rimuru shook her head with the expression of someone explaining something very obvious to someone very slow.
"Hmph hmph! Kai-chan, you just don't get it. I plan to make the name of the Jura-Tempest Federation famous in that world!"
"That way, Shizu and the others can't say we're idle anymore. We're not going to play."
"This is territory expansion."
"Exactly, exactly! Territory expansion!"
"Oh! I see. When you put it that way. As expected of you, Rimuru."
Kaito looked at the three of them, who had somehow elevated the concept of going somewhere new to play into a grand act of nation-building, and felt a quiet sense of wonder.
'Wasn't I one of the founders of this organization? Why does it feel like this group is starting to leave me behind?'
"Ahem! Right. Rimuru is absolutely correct. We are going to expand our territory."
Just as the group was enthusiastically mapping out their development strategy, otherwise known as where exactly to cause trouble and how best to make their presence known, a bright, lively voice rang out across the poolside.
"Yahoo! Kaito-nii! I came to play with you!"
Everyone turned.
Aihara Enju came skipping toward them, a few familiar little girls in tow.
"Kaito-nii, Rimuru-onee-chan, Milim-onee-chan, and Uncle Veldora!"
Veldora's face immediately crumpled.
"Ririka! Why am I the only one who gets called Uncle?! I'm not old at all!"
Kaito caught himself inwardly grumbling.
'Does he have any idea how old he actually is?'
Thud!
Everyone turned toward the sound.
Tina, golden hair fanned out around her, had somehow produced a pillow from somewhere, lay down on the spot, and was already completely, deeply asleep.
"Wow!!! She can just fall asleep anywhere like that! How amazing!"
Milim stared at Tina with sparkling eyes, her tone dripping with admiration. She deeply wished she had that kind of ability.
"Is that really something to admire..."
"Alright, since you're all here, go get changed. You can't swim in your school uniforms!"
"Yes! *n"
As the little girls ran off to change, Enju drifted quietly over to Veldora's side, tugged on his sleeve, and dropped her voice.
"So? Did you bring the goods?"
Veldora went rigid. He scanned the area carefully in every direction, confirmed the coast was clear, and leaned in.
"Relax. This time I brought Eromanga Sensei's latest work. A guaranteed masterpiece."
Enju's eyes lit up.
"As expected of the most legendary underground supplier in the entire Jura-Tempest Federation. You always come through!"
Veldora puffed out his chest with immense pride.
"Of course! I have connections everywhere in this federation. There is nothing I cannot acquire! Hahaha!"
Still laughing, he reached into his robes and produced several volumes of the latest yuri manga, pressing them discreetly into Enju's hands.
She opened one, flipped through a few pages, and gave a satisfied nod. Then she reached into her pocket and produced a crisp hundred bill, which she handed over to Veldora.
Incidentally, the currency currently in circulation throughout the Jura-Tempest Federation was called the Tempest Coin.
Banknotes came in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 temps.
Each note featured an illustration of a blue Slime in a straw hat, holding a proportionally scaled doll of Kaito.
Yes, the national currency was exactly that whimsical.
It was said that on the day the sample design was released, Kaito had threatened all manner of drastic action if he wasn't removed from the banknotes. Unfortunately, the crowd had been unanimous, and his protests had amounted to absolutely nothing.
"My, my! I didn't expect Veldora-sama to still have stock! This is truly..."