Volume 1 Epilogue

With the overarching threat of the demon lord subdued, the isekai survivor laden world grew calm for a short while before problems began again. When Demon Lord Satsui claimed that the damage had already been done, she didn't do so nonsensically. The portal that she opened was unstable and began to cause problems throughout the world. Unknown beasts began to appear across the earth. Smaller irregular portals and the structures that housed them, not built by humanity, would appear with great amounts of riches, treasures, resources, and power to be gained by entering. Governments around the world began to approach the new problems that had risen in the wake of the portal incident that changed the world. seizing control of survivors and militarizing them while also attempting to seize control of the newly appearing assets.

The new structures, though small in size, were appearing throughout the earth. Some appeared above ground and some below. The location of their creation was as varied as the contents held within. Each structure housed a portal to another world that needed assistance in some way. For those that would enter, they would be pulled into the previously debated isekai experience. Their reward: the powers they obtained and whatever they could carry on them-new metals, gems, magical weapons and tools...anything could be found within. Further, beasts, monsters, traps, and worse guarded the bastions. The double edged sword: those beasts and monsters were in no way contained within the small magical rooms and they would often wreak havoc on the surrounding areas.

The world was changing drastically considering it wasn't only the support group who regained their powers from their isekai. Every red-eyed survivor across the world suddenly gained massive power and not every survivor had as good or noble characters as those from the support group. Each country began to experience newly acquired problems they had never thought of before, but, at least for the time being, those problems meant little to the support group. With the loss of their friend and comrade, Shingo, the remaining support group took their time healing to their fullest and getting back to their lives, but the scars of their battle remained:

Takamasa had shattered half of the vertebrae in his back during the fight and seemingly would never walk again. He remained adamant that the medicine in this world didn't understand Elven physiology and that it would just take some time.

Konomi remained a demi-human which society all but outcast. Strange cultural ideals formed around the other demi-humans in the world and though she faced even more prejudice, decided to remain alongside Takamasa, the man she loved.

Asuka remained seemingly devoid of emotion despite the deep loss she felt without Shingo. Her ability to manipulate technology across the world became problematic for nations and she ended up working closely with the Japanese government.

Yuki received surgery after surgery to rebuild her leg while struggling with the failure she felt as a leader. Between physical therapy and personally training, she worked hard to put herself back out into the world. Further, she worked to create a proper guild system for all the survivors of the world to help prevent them from being exploited.

Ichiro struggled with the inability to prevent the pains and turmoil his friends endured. He healed much quicker than doctors anticipated and went back out to train even harder. Despite the group members best efforts, Ichiro was reminded of surviving for so long in his world and having lost so many companions along the way. Once a new portal formed, he would set out in search for resources to make himself a new hammer and new power to aid in him protecting his comrades.

Beyond the newly presented struggles, one more significant change occurred within the Isekai societal culture. Though all the survivors involved in the portal incident gained brand new golden eyes, other survivors around the world, as well as new survivors who freshly returned from other worlds, found themselves branded with red eyes. This caused a rift with some revering the golden-eyed five survivors as something special, while others abhorred their existence and blamed them for the portal incident and the discord that beset the world.

The newly titled "Golden Five" were about to become very busy.