1 Chapter 1 - New Phone

The afternoon was clear with a few clouds in the sky that were seen by a young man looking at the window. One may call his location the protagonist seat but the young man who sat on it would beg to differ.

He appeared to have average looks that were neither too appealing nor too unpleasant, having dark hair a staple of Asian roots. Though, his eyes had a darker shade indicating a lack of sleep.

The young man wore a white polo shirt and black pants along with black leather shoes and dangling from his chest was a school ID.

It was written 'Ryuu Cinco', an unusual name with a mixture of Japanese and Filipino. He absentmindedly looked at the sky like an idiot which definitely did not remain unnoticed by his teacher who turned around and saw him not paying attention.

It's clear that boredom filled his mind trying to occupy himself with other things that he deem more important than what he should be doing.

The teacher felt irritated wanting to scream at him for his action but smirk decided to do something better and went closer. Every student saw this and started whispering to each other.

"Young Cinco!"

Ryuu jumped a bit from the sudden shout of his teacher and turned to his side while sweating bullets. He could see the fury from his teacher's wrinkling face and made him want to punch it.

He hated the teacher for being too strict and being one of the teachers who only explained it once and expecting the student to know everything.

Though he's not stupid and understands the importance of discipline and etiquette, his teacher was too strict and old fashioned. He doesn't understand that his teacher doesn't fit the modern way but that's how it is.

"Since you dare to ignore me, it would only mean that you understood our lesson?" The teacher looked down at him despite his passable grade doesn't excuse him to be ignored in the lesson.

Ryuu warily smiled and recalled how he barely studied anything after being busy with watching anime and reading manga. It still made him furious how Kimetsu No Yaiba ended.

Though he had planned to study soon after, he was frustrated by the ending that he couldn't focus on studying and ended up forgetting everything. Could you blame him? Yes. But Ryuu couldn't change the past.

"Then, care to explain the names of Magellan's ships that are used in his voyage!?!"

The teacher slammed his hand into the desk looking at his student enjoying him struggling. Ryuu tried wracking his head trying to remember it but the only thing he could remember was the cliffhanger of the latest episode of the anime he watched.

"Uhmm...Trinidad….Santiago...what was the next one...wait...Conception...Antonio and….and…" Ryuu struggles to name all of them but somehow manages to gradually recall them one by one.

"And?" The teacher was honestly impressed that he was able to name them and only missing one.

"And…" He purposely sweats trying to dwell deeper into his memories.

'Fuck! The hell is that last one!? God, I hate history!'

He curses at his misfortune feeling embarrassed as everyone else was gossiping. Ryuu knew he wouldn't be able to get the answer no matter how much he tried.

[ Victoria! ]

Ryuu saw the answer behind his teacher and it came from a close friend of his, Justine Reyes was a tomboy that had been with him since childhood and a feisty one which is why none of the students tried to stop her when she wrote the answer on the palm of her hand.

"Victoria! That's it!"

He yelled out taking the teacher by surprise who grew suspicious and turned around but nothing was there as Justine hid her hand before the teacher caught her.

The teacher looks at Ryuu, who dryly laughs giving a squinting eye on him as if saying 'I'm on to you.'

"You won't be lucky the next time. Pay attention! Your exam is coming soon and even if you have two weeks of Academic break doesn't mean you'll slack off!"

Ryuu sighed in relief looking at his best friend who gave a thumbs up and smirked. She leaned forward while he sat back into his seat.

"You own me one!" Justine smirked trying to take advantage of the situation.

"Yeah yeah but thanks for the help!" Ryuu shrugged it off and simply smiled. He understood his friend more than himself. Except certain areas.

"No problem, but let me guess you stayed up all night watching anime and reading manga?" Justice questioned him knowing what kind of person he was.

"Obviously. I can't just stop one episode, it should be one season!" He proudly declared while Justine blankly stared at him, sighing deeply.

"Dude, that isn't healthy. At this point, you wouldn't get any chicks." Justine pokes his sensitive areas but it was unaffected since she has used it numerous times on him.

"True that but I'm young and still waiting for the right girl." He leaned back while missing a frown from his best friend who was looking at herself before returning to Ryuu.

"Well you have a point. Still, that doesn't justify staying up all night just to watch anime." She lightly scolded him, showing that she was worried for his future.

"Alright, Moooom. I'll try to stop staying up watching anime but still, no promises."

Ryuu said to make her relax knowing his friend would take her advice. She knew him too well and when he said something he'd do it.

"Try? Seriously." Justine frowned deeper and Ryuu chuckled seeing this.

"Keep that up. It looks great on you." He teased him and this made her angry.

"You!" Justine stood up trying to apprehend him for what he said.

"You two! I just said to pay attention! Alright, you two are in detention!"

The teacher angrily yelled at them and the two grew pale. In the end, the two of them did extra work until they were permitted to go home. Ryuu and Justine felt exhausted walking their way home.

"That fucking teacher! He should go fuck himself! Like a single teacher can't teach all the subjects then how the fuck do they expect the student to understand every subject!?"

Ryuu ranted about being frustrated after what they went through. He doesn't necessarily hate learning, rather it was the personality of teachers that he hated.

He was fine with some of their teachers, only the old ones that haven't adapted to changing times that made it difficult to get along with them.

"That's life." Justine blankly said.

"Then I wish that I live like an anime character! I don't care if I had to work out so long, cool shit happened! Life is boring when it's mundane."

Ryuu shouted excitedly, finding the life of adventure to be interesting! I mean who wouldn't want to have badass abilities like Chakra and Ki!?

"Dude like the old saying goes 'be careful what you wish for'. Even anime characters struggle, how do you expect to survive like them?"

Justine gave a valid point that made Ryuu give second thoughts about his fantasy. He knew that many anime worlds are extremely dangerous and wouldn't likely survive if he suddenly went to their world.

"You have a valid point but I do wish to just make things interesting. Still learning eskrima from you and big brother Micah yet unable to use seem redundant."

Ryuu stated having learned a Filipino martial art called Arnis/Erikama which incorporates weapon-based fighting with sticks, knives, bladed weapons, and various improvised weapons, as well as "open hand" techniques without weapons.

Through instructions, students learn to fight with weapons, then advance empty-hand training once stick and knife-fighting has been mastered, acquiring muscle memory and becoming ambidextrous, treating weapons as an extension of themselves.

Often in battle, in handling the weapon in one hand, the other one would be free to attack their opponent from another angle.

Even if one weapon is used, then the other hand can be used to control, trap, or disarm opponents, in addition to blocking, joint locking, and manipulation.

An obvious fact in this is that armed opponents who have been trained have the advantage over a trained unarmed person, and serves to condition students to fight against armed assailants.

In terms of preparing for combat changes as the distance changes, making use of footwork in terms of the same shape as a triangle, which varies from school to school and from practitioner to practitioner.

Most systems has a focus on defending against and/or reacting to angles of attacks rather than particular strikes, because virtually all types of hand-to-hand combat (whether with or without a weapon) hits or reaches an opponents through these angles of attacks, the reasoning is that it is more efficient to learn to defend against different angles of attacks instead of learning to defend against a particular style, technique, or weapon.

Ryuu is able to use it to defend himself in the troubled streets where he leaves but most of the time he isn't able to since he's not going to seek trouble that might affect his parents unless he's prepared to protect them.

"Hey don't be like that! You never know when you'll need it." Justine exclaimed and Ryuu shrugged it off.

"That's true but I can't exactly win against people with guns right?"

Martial arts is only as effective against inexperienced fighters. Eskrima are made to kill not self defense but it would still lose against those that carried a gun.

"Jeez, you know anime logic doesn't apply in real life right? I mean unless you have plot armor then you'll likely die in a few seconds in those worlds." Justine stated.

"Meh, can't a man dream? I mean I would like to meet those waifus! And if I'm lucky, I'll get my own harem." Ryuu shamelessly said instantly receiving a strong jab in the stomach by Justine but he instinctively moved enough to lessen the forces.

"Gaah! What the hell was that for!?" He glared at her and rubbed his stomach. Justine is a lot stronger than him physically and has mastery in eskrima.

"Bruh, don't you think it's unfair and horrible for you to play with their feelings like that?" Justine disliking his childhood friend's shameful dream. How can he dream of infidelity!?

"Come on, I'm just looking at it from the perspective of an anime character. I mean if the girls got along and wanted to support the MC then why not? It's better than hurting the rest by choosing one." Ryuu said always hated harem protagonists who choose one when they are capable of having multiple!

"Sheesh! Then are you alright if the girls did that!?" Justine had a valid point since if the man is going to be infidel then why not the girls too?

"Eew! Heck nah!? Unlike male harem, women having harem would be confusing like who the heck would they know whose child it is?" He crossed his arms giving his opinion and Justine couldn't deny that he made a great point.

"You made a great point but are you really willing to cheat? What if I was your girlfriend then would you still dream of that?" Justine asked, trying to stop his childhood from doing something horrible.

"Aren't you taking this too seriously? I'm just talking about my fantasy, not something that I would actually do." He blankly said looking at Justine who slightly blush to what she said.

"Still, if it's someone who you can get along with and discuss it with, then maybe. The key in harem is consent." He rubbed his chin imagining the scenario in his head. Justine doesn't know what to feel about his childhood fantasy but can't deny that he was making sense.

"Though, I have to be responsible to not be biased." Ryuu said scratching his head a bit embarrassed that he was actually thinking it was possible for that to happen.

"That aside, today I'll be getting a new phone. It would be funny if I suddenly got a dimensional chat group." He lightly chuckled at his imagination while Justine was confused.

"Dimensional chat group? Is that some kind of anime?" Unlike Ryuu, she wasn't that well versed in delusional fantasy and oftentimes watched western films and books. In addition to training martials arts and self defense from her brothers.

"No, it's a fanfic or fan story where some otaku just gets a chat group filled with anime characters and do some mission to the different anime world." Ryuu explained often reads fanfic when a certain story isn't satisfying enough.

"Oh, that does sound interesting. Hehe~ if it happens to you make sure to invite me hahaha!"

Justine jokingly said, unknowingly putting herself in a bizarre adventure for the future.

After a while, the two went their separate ways and Ryuu headed to his home. The sun began to set and darkness soon shroud the sky and after a while, Ryuu found himself at the decrepit places that were filled with unsanitary canals and scraps. A slum if you will but still had reasonable looking homes. One of them was Ryuus home.

"Oh, Ryuu your home late!? Did something happen?"

He headed inside and was immediately greeted by a motherly woman who had a bit of weight but was still beautiful in her own way. A typical shape for someone her age.

"Nah, I and Justine just forgot to check the time. Sorry for making you worried." Ryuu reassured his mother hiding the fact that they got into detention. He was embarrassed and guilty that he had been neglecting his studies since his parents had been working hard to support him.

"Is that so? Anyway, your dad needed to return to work but dropped this off for you. He apologizes for the late gift."

Her tone felt sad while a phone that was obviously second-hand but was better than the one he had. Ryuu smiled at the love of his parents.

He's not mad that his father wasn't there since he was working for them. Unlike him, his father is a loyal man and dedicates his life to keeping their family whole. Except for one person missing.

"Thanks, mom. How about I go prepare dinner while you go ahead and rest." He suggested trying to ease the work that his mother was doing.

"What!? No, you just got home and should be the one resting!?" His mother was surprised but quickly declined.

"No, it's fine, unlike you, I'm young and energetic. Just take a seat and rest, let me handle everything."

He took his mom who reluctantly sat down and took her son's offer while she watched who started doing the chores and prepared their dinner.

Ryuu hadn't even taken the opportunity to change clothes or check his new phone and decided to at least repay his parents in the way he can. After a while, he finished doing everything and felt quite proud of himself.

"Alright mom, I'll go ahead and change into casual clothes."

He went into his room that didn't have anything remarkably special, only having a single bed, a closet, and a single desk. Ryuu went back to the side and changed his clothes into a black shirt and gray shorts.

Ryuu finished and quickly went downstairs to eat with his mom. It was only the two of them which made him quite sad as he looked at his mom.

'I swear, if I could make dad work less then I'll do it! I don't want to see mom sad like this.'

He gave a small bow as the two of them enjoyed their dinner as much as they could. Ryuu talked about a few mundane topics to entertain his mom and cheer her up until they finished their meal and helped clean up their plates.

Ryuu returned to his room before glancing at the desk where the new phone was placed. He took the phone and examined what kind of brand it was but couldn't find any logo or anything.

He opened the phone and found it was reminiscent of a Xiaomi brand of phones which made him smile knowing even if a second hand project would still fetch a high price with this kind of phone.

"I should text dad."

Ryuu took out his old phone and started to give him a text rather than call knowing that he would be busy with his job.

[ Thank you dad, hope you're doing well.]

He sent the message before placing it back in his pocket and started to play around with his new phone. Ryuu checked everything until stumbling upon an interesting app.

"Dimensional Chat Group?"