Multiverse: Starting with Mushoku Tensei

This was an utterly ordinary world. A world devoid of magic, swordsmanship, or any grandiose heroics. Here, people led mundane lives amidst the bustling cities, crowded streets, and endless streams of vehicles.

In this reality, dreams were simple and goals modest. People pursued happiness through small pleasures—anticipating a meal, planning a trip, or buying a new outfit. Life's beauty lay in these seemingly trivial moments.

In this world, problems were solved not with magic or swordsmanship, but through hard work, seeking help, or adjusting one's mindset. This was a world of lessons learned through mistakes and growth. A normal, yet profoundly meaningful, existence.

---

Among the countless people in this bustling nation was an orphanage on the outskirts of a city.

Children in this orphanage faced two possible futures: either they stayed until adulthood and ventured into the world independently, or they were adopted by families and grew up with new parents.

However, several months ago, a peculiar boy had arrived.

The boy appeared to be around five years old. Even without an adult or identification, he could easily talk his way into securing shelter. Attempts to report him to the police always failed, as he would vanish before authorities could act, as if he could predict their every move.

Eventually, an orphanage worker discovered him wandering the streets and persuaded him to stay. The boy had agreed, saying, "If I can eat and sleep for free without worrying about survival, I can focus more on my own goals."

Since then, this golden-haired boy had lived at the orphanage, though he seemed uninterested in making friends or playing with toys. He spent his days lazily doing nothing, drawing the staff's attention and eventually the director's.

---

"What is it that you want?" the director asked him one day.

The golden-haired boy thought for a moment before replying, "If possible, I'd like a computer to do research and play games."

The director initially refused, saying, "If you score 100% on all your subjects, I'll consider it."

The director underestimated the boy. The very next day, the boy approached him and aced every test the director gave him.

Not wanting the boy to waste his potential on games, the director upped the challenge, giving him high school-level material. Yet, within a month, the boy returned, answering every question perfectly once again.

Eventually, the boy was often seen sitting alone in a corner of the orphanage, engrossed in a laptop while others played. He effortlessly mastered games even adults struggled with.

Word of this genius spread, attracting people from all walks of life. Some came out of curiosity, while others sought to challenge him with university-level problems. The boy, unbothered, solved them all without breaking a sweat.

Many families offered to adopt him, but he declined each time, his reasons undisclosed.

---

One day, while engrossed in his games, a soft voice drew his attention.

"So, you're the child prodigy everyone's talking about?"

Looking up, he saw a slender, refined woman in her twenties. She had neatly tied-back hair and a light touch of makeup.

"Are you here to adopt me?" the boy asked lazily.

The woman smiled warmly and nodded. "I already have two exceptionally gifted children. My name is Midori Kirigaya."

Extending her hand, she waited.

The boy hesitated, then took her hand. "Midori Kirigaya… Kirito's mother."

After a brief calculation, he decided to accept her offer.

Thus, under the astonished gazes of the orphanage staff, the boy left with Midori Kirigaya.

She named him Naoki Kirigaya in the family register.

---

Meanwhile, in another world, Roah withdrew his control from the Sword Art Online timeline. He glanced at the slumbering figure of Roxy sprawled across him.

To his surprise, her sleeping posture was anything but elegant. She had completely treated him as a body pillow, one leg draped over him while her arm wrapped tightly around his neck.

Her soft, blue hair tickled his face as a faint floral fragrance filled the air. Roah sighed inwardly.

Why? Why does this seemingly refined girl have such an awful sleeping posture?

He considered waking her but hesitated upon seeing her peaceful expression. Instead, he resigned himself to his fate.

However, as the night wore on, the situation worsened. Roxy's grip tightened, her slender leg pressing harder against him.

At some point, her modest chest brushed against his cheek, and Roah's face turned crimson. Staring at her delicate sleeping face so close, he couldn't help but regret his earlier insistence on sharing a room.

Carefully lifting her leg off him, he exhaled deeply. Good thing I'm still young. A few years older, and I might not have been able to resist.

After being thoroughly disrupted by Roxy's restless sleep, he finally drifted off, his energy drained. Balancing two worlds truly felt like pulling an all-nighter.