Reborn Into A Dark Social Game World With Completely Loyal Friends. - Chapter 1: Reincarnation?

Reincarnation?

Reincarnated into another world… and not just any world, but the world of Dakurezo. Understanding that immediately wasn’t something easy… but the presence before me was Thanatos, whom I had never removed from my party since I first summoned her. Her presence implicitly confirmed that I had been transferred or reincarnated into this otherworldly realm.

“What… What’s this… You guys, run!”

“Why is there a dragon appearing here out of nowhere!?”

“Dragons are supposed to be creatures from fairy tales, aren’t they!?”

It seemed that the thieves couldn’t hear Thanatos’ voice. Well, even if it was a female voice, it wasn’t surprising that they would want to flee when a dragon suddenly appeared.

“You attempted to kill my master… Do you think I will let you go?!”

At that moment, Thanatos’ red eyes gleamed.

“Master, you should close your eyes.”

Without waiting for a response, Thanatos’ magic was activated. Not wanting to witness the gruesome scene that would unfold if I kept my eyes open, I immediately closed them.

After what felt like a gust of wind passing through, the voices of the thieves disappeared… When I opened my eyes, I was met with an incredibly brutal and unbearable sight.

“…”

Limbs torn apart, the smell of iron lingering… It brought out a surge of disgust in me. Perhaps due to my reaction being more extreme than expected, Thanatos seemed flustered, but I didn’t have the luxury to be concerned.

“Master, we should leave here first. Come, ride on my back.”

“…Understood.”

For now, it was important to calm down. With some fear lingering in my mind, I got on Thanatos’ back… Without a sound, Thanatos soared into the air, enveloping her entire body in a membrane of magic as she ascended.

Our destination was the dilapidated Nevalis Castle — a place where I had fought Thanatos in the game.

(Have… have I really come to the world of Dakurezo?)

I was still half in disbelief, and this could still be a dream… but there was no way a dream could be this realistic… Besides, the exhaustion I felt, not just physically but mentally, couldn’t be experienced in a dream.

As Thanatos landed on the ground, I slowly dismounted from her back.

“Well, it’s good to see you again, Master.”

“…Yeah, although I still can’t fully grasp what’s happening.”

“That’s fine… I’m just glad to see you.”

Thanatos’ voice was gentle, but her expression remained stern. Reflecting in her crimson eyes, my figure appeared pitiful, appearing nothing more than an ordinary person with no power.

“Tana-chan… Where is this place?”

“This is Artentis… It may seem cruel to you.”

Artentis…there seems to be no mistakes in the world of Dacrezo.

“Ah… I see…”

“For now, it’s best to calm down. Come, lean on my body.”

“Yeah.”

Following her instructions, I leaned against Thanatos’ back.

Even though I had thought so when I was riding on her back, when I actually touched her, her scales weren’t cold at all. They were surprisingly warm… Perhaps it was due to the influence of magic, but it still gave me a sense of comfort, like human skin.

(Dakurezo’s world… huh?)

Dark Resonance… As the name suggests, it’s characterized by a dark worldview with serious stories being the main focus. Of course, not everything is serious all the time, as there are bright scenes between each chapter, and there are even lighthearted stories during events that are completely opposite to the main story… But fundamentally, it’s a dark tale.

(There were bright parts like the school arc and the summer swimsuit event… but, generally speaking, scenes like the looting and massacre I witnessed earlier aren’t uncommon. There were also chapters where highly lethal diseases were deliberately spread… sigh)

The more I thought about it, the more sighs escaped me.

It’s fine when I’m just reading the story as a player, but if I were asked if I wanted to go to this world for real, I would never agree.

Even so, there were plenty of fan works, so it’s undeniable that this world held a dream-like quality.

“Tana-chan… How did you know about me?”

“There’s no way I wouldn’t know about you, Master. After all, I was completely defeated by you, and we spent time together after that, right?”

“Well, yeah, I guess…”

It was Minato who defeated her, or rather, the player character representing me.

(Thanatos knowing this means… Are there others who remember me or know about me…?)

In that case… Does it apply to Mia, who is my smartphone’s wallpaper?

Thinking about it, even in this dark world where death is always looming, there are things to look forward to.

Well, the characters whose trust levels were maxed out were mainly those who had been active in battles… In other words, the characters I’ve spent most of my time with. So, there are many characters I’d like to meet.

“Tana-chan, do you know anything about the current timeline… any events?”

“Yes. There was supposed to be an incident in the kingdom… It’s already resolved, but it was the case of the princess’s disappearance.”

“Ah… So it’s before the Royal Capital Incident arc.”

Right before the prologue begins… huh.

Normally, Minato as an entity — the player — would advance the story by commanding various characters… but as you can see, Minato is just an ordinary person without any determination.

In this extremely harsh world, there’s no way I could become the protagonist.

“Tana-chan.”

“What is it?”

“I’m just… an ordinary person. I can’t be the protagonist… I can’t be the commander.”

“That’s quite a weak complaint… but I won’t say anything about it. I respect your will. As long as we’re together, that’s all that matters.”

Thanatos’ eyes, as she looked down at me, were filled with affection.

In the game’s setting, Thanatos was considered one of the strongest dragons of her kind, possessing unparalleled strength. Because of this, she was perfect for both regular gameplay and boss battles. She had so much charm that players wouldn’t even think of removing her from their party.

“By the way, how far does your memory go, Tana-chan?”

“I’ve finished the decisive battle with you on the moon… and my memories continue from there.”

“Wow, that’s like the final chapter of the story!”

It seems Thanatos has memories that span the entire story.

“I also know that you were delighted to see Mia wearing a swimsuit.”

“Huh!?”

Well, I only wanted to get the swimsuit version of Mia for…

(Does that mean… from Mia’s perspective, I’m just a pervert who got excited seeing her in a swimsuit!?)

Of course, that’s only if Mia also has memories…

“At the moment, I’m not sure if there are others like me with memories. As a Black Dragon, relying on memories to reunite with companions is nonsensical.”

“That’s understandable… After all, you’re on the level of a calamity recorded in the country’s forbidden books.”

Even so, Thanatos noticed Minato’s existence and appeared before him. It was undoubtedly due to her unwavering loyalty, perhaps influenced by reaching a trust level of 100.

“Master, take your time to rest for a while. And remember, even if you’re not around, the world will keep spinning.”

“Yeah… I’ll take my time to think and find my place in this world. I probably can’t go back anyway.”

I can’t return to my original world anymore… Minato had a strong sense of certainty about that.

“Hey, Tana-chan.”

“Yes?”

“What about Mia and the others… There were plenty of subordinates, but, uh, about things like swimsuits, Santa outfits, and other various clothing… If they had memories, would they think I’m a pervert?”

“It should be fine. Mia, at least, and I believe the others would gladly follow your wishes.”

That’s a relief to hear from Thanatos. With her assurance, Minato lets out a sigh of relief.

Even so, Minato’s life in this parallel world has just begun.

It may sound exciting to be in a familiar game world, but it’s still a cruel world.

Minato’s trials have only just begun.