Anime Group Chat in a Doomsday World!

"..."

Eriri pouted, her face flushed with frustration.

"Didn't you say Nezuko and Kie-san are also mother and daughter?"

She crossed her arms, her voice carrying a hint of indignation.q

"Nanashi is so powerful! Wouldn't I be at a disadvantage compared to them? So, Mom and I will team up! Let's beat them together!"

Sayuri was utterly stunned.

She couldn't believe what had just come out of her daughter's mouth.

It's over. My Eriri is completely broken.

She cried internally, yet deep inside, she felt unexpectedly touched.

Despite all her attempts to resist, the truth was—she was tempted.

And once that hesitation set in, it was like a cracked dam—one more push, and everything would collapse.

In the end—

She was defeated by those big, watery, pleading eyes.

Her face burned with embarrassment as she hesitantly nodded.

"Mmm..."

"Great! I feel so inspired! I'm going to draw a new book—mother and daughter, mother and daughter!"

Eriri's eyes sparkled with excitement. Without hesitation, she rushed into her room.

"..."

Well—her daughter was truly beyond saving.

And worse—she didn't even need any guidance.

From beginning to end, the figure in Eriri's drawings was always Nanashi!

And now, even she had been dragged into this so-called enlightenment.

"What is happening to me…?"

Sayuri sighed, torn between amusement and exasperation.

A certain Nanashi-shaped figure surfaced in her mind.

She looked down—

And once again, she had unknowingly become wet down there once again.

She herself… seemed to have turned into Nanashi's shape.

Comic Convention

Also commonly known as an anime exhibition—

A place where manga fans from all walks of life gathered to connect and share their passions.

Nanashi stood under the shade of a tree, just outside the event's entrance.

He was waiting.

Waiting for Marin.

The area outside was packed—a sea of attendees in all kinds of colorful, extravagant outfits.

Nanashi had chosen a less crowded, easily noticeable spot to stand.

"Nanashi-kun!"

A familiar, cheerful voice called out from behind him.

It was instantly recognizable—he didn't even need to turn around to know it was Marin.

But when he did—

It wasn't the blonde, bubbly Marin he expected.

Instead, standing before him was a different Marin—

One dressed in violet and black.

She wore a deep violet wig, paired with colored contact lenses and pale, ghostly makeup.

Her outfit? Gothic Lolita.

Black lace, frills, and an air of delicate yet dark elegance.

Her legs were wrapped in sheer, tulle garters, adding a subtle, mysterious allure.

This version of Marin was a stark contrast to the usual golden, sunlit energy she radiated.

And yet—

Nanashi couldn't shake the feeling that this new look had an oddly compelling charm.

Still, he smiled and offered a simple compliment.

"You look stunning."

Marin beamed.

"Hehe~! This is my cosplay—Shizuku-tan!"

She struck a cute pose, showing off her ensemble.

Nanashi smirked.

"Kuroe Shizuku? That's a bold choice. You have good taste."

Marin's eyes lit up.

"Wait—you know her too?"

"Of course." Nanashi nodded without hesitation.

"I've played her route in Holy Slimy Girls' School Lady Shamelessly Living Miracle Life in the Shame Club II. She's a really interesting character."

He had a bit of an interest in these kinds of games and played them from time to time.

This one, in particular, was an adult visual novel—often abbreviated as "Slimy Girl 2."

"No way! I didn't expect Nanashi-kun to be into Shizuku-chan too!"

Marin practically bounced with excitement—she looked as if she had just found a rare, kindred spirit.

Nanashi chuckled, then raised an eyebrow.

"By the way, isn't it kind of… unusual for you to cosplay as this character?"

Marin shrugged, completely unfazed.

"Not at all! I love Shizuku-tan!"

She twirled playfully, showing off her outfit with zero hesitation.

Nanashi sighed.

"Alright… but you do realize you're probably going to attract a ton of attention, right? I'm not sticking around if you get swarmed by photographers."

"How is that possible?!" Marin huffed, crossing her arms.

"I'm not here to get photographed. I'm just here to have fun! If someone takes a picture without permission, I'll sock 'em twice! It's illegal, you know!"

As she spoke, she clenched her fists and pretended to throw a punch, looking adorably fierce.

Nanashi smirked.

"Well, that problem is easy to fix."

The corners of his lips curled into a mischievous smile.

A faint glimmer flashed in his eyes.

He activated one of his abilities—

Dominance over Presence.

A technique inspired by Megumi.

Through repeated experiments, he had discovered that this intangible force could be manipulated.

Though his control over it wasn't perfect yet, he knew—

Once mastered, its effects would be even more terrifyingly effective.

Right now—

Both he and Marin had been rendered nearly unnoticeable.

To the average passerby, they were just another pair of faceless attendees in the crowd.

Even if someone brushed past them, their presence would be completely ignored.

And for those who accidentally got too close?

They would subconsciously adjust their movements, stepping away without even realizing it.

"Whoa! That's insane!"

Marin's eyes sparkled with pure amazement hearing his explanation.

Inside the Convention Hall

The two wandered through the venue, casually exploring the various booths.

Every now and then, Marin would pick up small trinkets, admiring them with childlike enthusiasm.

Nanashi noticed this—and without hesitation, he bought them for her.

Marin's delighted squeals filled the air.

"Nanashi-kun is sooo nice to me~! Are you trying to capture my heart like in a dating sim?"

Nanashi smirked and shrugged playfully.

"I mean… it's a possibility."

Truthfully, Marin was—

Young. Beautiful. Confident. Lively. Open-minded.

Her appearance, personality, and energy all aligned perfectly with his tastes.

Perhaps…

It was just in his nature to appreciate beauty.

Marin giggled, clapping her hands together.

"Haha! Stop joking around! Besides, isn't Megumi your girlfriend?"

Nanashi raised an eyebrow, flashing her a knowing smile.

"You know I don't just have one, right?"

Marin froze for a moment—then quickly turned away.

"A-Ahaha! L-Look over there! That booth looks fun! Let's check it out!"

And just like that—

She swiftly changed the subject.

It was understandable.

After all, aside from their occasional flirtations, they didn't actually know each other that well.

For now—

It was best to just set aside that sensitive topic.

The two of them spent the better part of the day strolling through the convention, enjoying the lively atmosphere.

Nanashi looked completely at ease—relaxed, unbothered.

Marin, however, was not so lucky.

Her outfit, while undeniably stunning and authentic to the character, was made from thick, heavy fabric—perfect for the aesthetic, but a nightmare in the crowded, sweltering heat of the convention hall.

After walking for hours, she was melting.

Sweat clung to her skin, and she found herself constantly fanning her face with her hands.

Nanashi glanced at her.

"Hot?" he asked, his tone casual.

"Obviously!" Marin groaned, her expression miserable.

"This outfit is way too thick!"

She pouted dramatically.

"I wish I'd chosen something lighter and more breathable."

Nanashi smirked slightly.

"Want me to help?"

Marin blinked.

It was then that she finally noticed something odd.

Despite being in the same crowded, humid environment, Nanashi—dressed in long sleeves and full-length pants—wasn't sweating at all.

She frowned.

"Wait a second… why aren't you hot?"

Instead of answering, Nanashi simply extended his right hand toward her.

"Hold my hand."

Marin hesitated.

"Huh?"

But after a brief pause, she cautiously placed her hand in his.

"!!!!"

Her eyes widened in shock.

"Whoa! It's so cool! What the heck?!"

The moment her skin touched his, a refreshing chill spread through her palm.

And as she continued holding his hand, the sensation traveled up her arm, quickly dispelling the overwhelming heat that had been weighing her down.

The stuffy, suffocating feeling vanished in an instant.

Marin sighed in bliss.

Nanashi's lips curled into a subtle smile.

In truth, he never struggled with heat—his body's reflective layer naturally repelled excess temperature.

Cooling Marin was simple.

All he had to do was adjust the surrounding temperature energy, redirecting heat away from her body.

But, of course—

The real reason he offered his hand was simple.

He wanted to hold it.

And he had done so deliberately.

His earlier comment about "capturing Marin" hadn't been a joke.

Nanashi wasn't some passive protagonist, waiting around for others to make the first move.

If he liked someone, he wouldn't hesitate to take action.

If the opportunity presented itself, he would seize it.

If there was no opportunity—

Then he would create one.

Giving up before even trying? That wasn't his style.

After all, he had already declared his intent to build a harem.

So why hold back now?

The only thing he needed to worry about—

Was whether his body could handle it all.

Marin, meanwhile, seemed completely oblivious to his true motives.

She happily kept holding his hand, savoring the cooling effect.

Her fascination only grew.

"Nanashi-kun, your abilities are seriously amazing."

It wasn't just this strange cooling power—

Back in the Doomsday Game, she had seen him effortlessly manipulate monsters.

She had watched him destroy steel barriers with ease.

And even here, at the comic convention—

He had somehow made everyone subconsciously ignore their presence.

Each ability astounded her more than the last.

Nanashi smiled.

"So, what did you get from the Doomsday Game?" he asked, curious.

"You should've racked up a lot of survival points at that time."

Marin hesitated.

"Uh… well… that's a secret!"

A slight blush crept onto her cheeks.

She grinned playfully.

"But don't worry—I'll show you later!"

Noon

After wandering for a few more hours, the two of them found a random restaurant and grabbed a quick meal.

Then—

They resumed exploring in the afternoon.

All throughout—

Marin never let go of his hand.

She dragged him from booth to booth, enthusiastically admiring all the merchandise.

They chatted easily, their conversations flowing effortlessly.

And as time passed, they grew even closer.

Considering the life-and-death experiences they had already shared—

It was only natural that their bond had deepened.

At some point, their way of addressing each other also became more intimate.

Evening

As the day came to an end, the convention finally wrapped up.

Nanashi was about to suggest heading home when—

"Nanashi-kun, let's go!"

A hand suddenly grabbed his wrist.

He turned in surprise—

Only to see Marin pulling him along.

"Huh? Where are we going?"

Marin glanced back at him with a mischievous smirk.

"Didn't I promise you something?"

Without another word, she dragged him away.

And soon enough—

They arrived at a hotel.

Hotel Room

"SPLASH—!"

The sound of running water filled the room.

Nanashi sat on the edge of the bed, his gaze locked onto the frosted glass of the bathroom door.

Through the misty pane, he could make out the silhouette of a figure inside.

His mind blanked for a moment.

Wait… what?

Sure, he had been actively pursuing Marin—

But wasn't this… a little too fast?

She had dragged him here herself.

But as he thought about it—

He realized he might be overthinking it.

After all, Marin's original "promise" had simply been about her cosplay rewards and showing off her new abilities.

She probably wasn't thinking anything strange.

There was no point in jumping to conclusions.

Shaking off his unnecessary thoughts, Nanashi opened the chat group to check for any new messages.

Saeko: "There are just too many zombies... I can't possibly kill them all."

Shinobu: "At least you earn Doomsday Points by killing them. The stronger you become, the easier it'll be to handle everything."

Nami: "Yeah, I don't have a way to gain points here. I work hard every day to develop the Thunder Fruit, but my progress is slow."

Saeko: "Are you trying to catch up with Nanashi-kun?"

Nami: "That's not it. I just want to be more useful."

Nanashi: "How are you useless? I think you're plenty useful. Don't overthink it."

Nami: "Hehe, I get it. But still, I'll keep working hard to get stronger!"

Reinhard: "@Nanashi, Admin."

Nanashi: "You don't have to be so formal. Everyone in the group is equal—we can speak freely. Just call me by my name."

Aqua: "Equal? But you have admin privileges! Authority dog!"

…

This Aqua really needs some discipline.

[Ding! Aqua has been muted by the administrator for 10 minutes!]

March 7th: "Haha, I don't know why Aqua always likes to provoke Nanashi."

Suzuki: "Some people tease the ones they like. Maybe Aqua's the same?"

March 7th: "Huh? I don't get it."

Reinhard: "Mr. Nanashi, do you remember that person you mentioned before? Natsuki Subaru?"

Nanashi: "Yeah, I remember. Why?"

Reinhard: "Not long ago, I found the last surviving member of Lugunica's previous royal family—Her Highness Felt."

Reinhard: "She was attacked, and I happened to arrive in time, causing the assailant to flee."

Reinhard: "She told me that a man named Natsuki Subaru tried to kill her and that her guardian, Master Rom, had already been murdered."

Reinhard: "Now, Her Highness Felt has become a candidate for the throne, and I have sworn to serve her. I'm currently searching for this Natsuki Subaru."

Reinhard: "Your previous question just came to mind, Mr. Nanashi. Do you have any information on him?"

Huh???

That was a lot to take in.

Nanashi was momentarily confused.

Natsuki Subaru wants to kill Felt?

What's going on?

Isn't this the Black Widow's doing?

Once again, reality had shifted from what he knew.

Nanashi: "Sorry, but the Natsuki Subaru you're talking about isn't the one I know."

Nanashi: "However, if he's involved, he might be a factor in this abnormal doomsday. Try to locate him and make contact."

Reinhard: "Understood. Thank you, sir."

Emilia: "I'll help search for him as well."

Reinhard: "I appreciate it, Your Highness Emilia."

Reinhard: "Despite us being rivals for the throne, your willingness to help earns my utmost respect."

Emilia: "No… it's really not that dramatic."

Emilia: "I just believe that since this affects our world, it's only natural to do my part."

Esdeath: "An anomaly, huh…?"

Nanashi: "You suddenly show up now—did you find something?"

Esdeath: "...As expected, I can't hide anything from you."

Esdeath: "Heh, it's amusing, really. When I returned to the imperial capital, I discovered that the ministers had been replaced without my knowledge."

Nanashi: "? That fat pig?"

Esdeath: "Fat pig… Hah, an accurate description. He's indeed missing, but no one has seen the new minister yet. Would this count as an anomaly?"

March 7th: "Hmm… It feels like something major is happening in both of your worlds."

Tushan Honghong: "I've just been cultivating peacefully in Tushan. I haven't noticed anything unusual."

Nanashi: "Keep an eye on the new minister. I have a feeling he's a major problem."

Esdeath: "That was my thought exactly."