Songs in the Void: A Multiversal Score

Log Horizon Universe, Earth, Japan, Tokyo. 

While Tatsuo and the others were on their way to America in Violet's world, Shizuka was sitting in front of her computer with an array of snacks and drinks scattered all over her desk. Currently, she was waiting for the newest expansion for her favorite MMORPG Elder Tales to launch. And because she did not have any classes today, she intended to spend the rest of the day exploring all the changes. 

"*Sigh* This is taking too long." Shizuka said while restlessly moving her mouse around. "I wonder if Shiroe will be playing, too. Hopefully we'll be able to try some of the new raids together." 

As she spoke to herself, Shizuka constantly glanced at the time on her computer screen. And with every minute that passed, she became more and more impatient. 

"I wonder what the others are doing." Shizuka muttered to herself. "I haven't even checked the chat since I woke up this morning. They're supposed to be going to fight monsters, right? Wyverns are what they were talking about, wasn't it? *Sigh* If I weren't just a normal person, I would have loved to go with them." 

Reaching that point, Shizuka let her gaze move down from the computer screen to her petite, child-like body. Then, she exhaled a tired sigh. 

"*Sigh* They probably would have made fun of me, though." Shizuka groaned. "I mean, I'm supposed to be the third oldest member of the [Chat]. But I look like I'm the youngest." 

Although Shizuka said that to herself, she was not the third oldest member of the [Dimensional Chat], but the fourth oldest. Because, for some reason, she had completely forgotten about Aletia, who spoke so little in the chat that she almost became invisible. 

On top of that, Aletia looked even younger than Shizuka, having stopped her aging process at the age of twelve thanks to her [Regeneration Magic]. But like Shizuka, Aletia had never sent a picture to the [Dimensional Chat], though their reasons for not doing so were different. 

While Shizuka did not want anyone to make fun of her childish appearance, Aletia did not care what anyone other than Tatsuo thought of her. 

*Beep!* *Beep!* *Beep!* 

Shizuka was pulled away from her thoughts when the sound of an alarm echoed through her bedroom. When it did, her mood brightened immediately. Because the alarm let her know that there was only a minute left until the expansion, Novasphere Pioneers, would launch. 

So, with bated breath, Shizuka leaned forward and watched as the launch timer counted down while hovering her mouse over the button to start the game. 

"Three... Two... One..." Shizuka muttered, counting down with the timer as it reached its end. 

*Click!* *Click!* 

Then, once the timer hit zero, Shizuka double click the Elder Tales Icon excitedly. 

Log Horizon Universe, Theldesia, Yamato, League of Free Cities, Akiba. 

Unfortunately, things did not go anywhere close to the way she expected them to. Instead of seeing the game launch on her computer screen, Shizuka's vision went dark for a moment. Then, she found herself in an extremely familiar, yet wholly unfamiliar, place. 

"What... just happened?" Shizuka asked herself while looking around in confusion. "And... is this...? Akiba....? But how?" 

Shizuka then finally looked down at herself and realized what happened. Though, it was hard to believe. 

Instead of the petite young woman she was used to seeing, she looked down and saw the body of a tall man wearing a purple, long-sleeved shirt with darker purple cuffs. And because she knew the equipment her character had equipped, she knew that there was a hood on her head, as well. 

Not only that, but she had armor on her shoulders and forearms, a pair of brown pants with a belt wrapped around her waist, black knee-high boots, and a pair of knee guards. 

"Seriously, what's going on here?" Shizuka asked herself while moving her body around. "Did I turn into my game character More importantly; did I get transferred into Theldesia?" 

To Shizuka's surprise, she did not freak out as much as she thought she would upon discovering that fact. Instead, the first thing she did was to check the [Dimensional Chat]. Because despite only having access to it for a few days, she had started to see the members as friends. Even if they were not close ones. 

'Phew! It's still there.' Shizuka thought to herself. 'I'll talk to them about this later.'

Shizuka then looked down at her body once agian. Shen tehn reached down to her crotch with trepidation. And when she touched it, she recoiled with horror in her eyes.

'But first, I need to do something about this body.' Shizuka thought to herself with fear and disgust. 'And I know just who I need to find for that. I just hope opening the menu works the same as in the game.' 

Luckily, Shizuka had no issue opening the game's menu. She then went to her friend list and found the person she was looking for. However, instead of starting a telepathic link, or voice chat, she started moving towards his location. Her time as a completely silent player making her not even think to talk first. 

ICDS Universe, Earth, United States of America, Page, Arizona. 

{[Dimensional Chat] 

Akatsuki: Hey, is anyone there? 

Akatsuki: @Tatsuo! @James! @Alfonzo! @Elicia! @Sumire! @Aletia! 

Akatsuki: Something happened, and I don't know what to do} 

While Tatsuo, James, Tio, and Scáthach were on their way to the Field Dungeon, Wyvern Nest, Tatsuo and James, along with the other members of the [Dimensional Chat] in Violet's world received an alert that they had all been pinged in the [Chat]. 

As a result of the [Notification], Tatsuo and James came to a stop, causing Tio and Scáthach to come to a stop, as well. Tatsuo and James then exchanged glances before nodding at each other and opening the [Dimensional Chat]. 

"Is something the matter, Tatsuo?" Tio asked in a curious, yet concerned, tone. 

"Nah, everything is fine." Tatsuo replied. "Well, for us. But from what Akatsuki left in the [Chat], she might have encountered something dangerous." 

"We need to see what the deal is with her before we go wyvern hunting." James added. "Hopefully, it's not too serious." 

{[Dimensional Chat] 

Lici: What's up, Akatsuki? 

Sumire has changed their ID to Violet 

Violet: Yeah, if we can help, we'll do our best 

Akatsuki: Honestly, I don't know what you can do to help 

Akatsuki: About six hours ago, I was transported into my favorite MMORPG as my game character 

Akatsuki: And if it weren't for this crazy chat, I probably would have freaked out a lot more because of this light novel-like situation I found myself in 

Alfonzo: Well, at least it's not a death game 

Akatsuki: And how can you be sure of that 

James: Because your world is a world that me, Tatsuo, Alfonzo, and Lici are familiar with 

James: So, did you find Shiroe and get the Appearance Reset Potion? 

Akatsuki: How couldyou possibly no about Shiroe?

Akatsuki: Wait! 

Akatsuki: My world is an anime/manga world like all of yours? 

Akatsuki: If you knew that, why didn't you tell me earlier? 

Tatsuo (Admin): Because if we did, you might not have been pulled into the Elder Tale world 

Tatsuo (Admin): And without the power of your game character, being part of the chat would have been too dangerous for you 

James: If you had joined before the trip to Arifureta, we probably would have stopped you, though

James: You probably would have been on that quest in stead of me

James: Gaining power there would have been easy 

Akatsuki: But now I can't even go back home 

Akatsuki: There's not even a log out button 

Violet: Calm down, Akatsuki-San 

Violet: I just looked through the [Shop] 

Violet: There's an item you can buy to add a log out button 

Violet: But it's expensive 

Akatsuki: Seriously?} 

With that, the [Chat] fell silent for a few minutes. Meanwhile, Tatsuo and James continued on their way to the Wyvern Nest. Then, just as they arrived, Akatsuki spoke up in the [Chat] once again. 

{[Dimensional Chat] 

Akatsuki: You were right 

Akatsuki: And it really is expensive 

Akatsuki: 100,000 Coins 

Alfonzo: *Whistle* Damn that's expensive 

Lici: Yeah, how many days would that take? 

Tatsuo (Admin}: Over a thousand days 

Tatsuo (Admin): And that's depending on how many coins you get each day 

Lici: You could always borrow it from Tatsuo 

Lici: He's got loads of coins 

Lici: But then you'd be paying him back for a long time 

Akatsuki: I don't know if I'm ready to be in debt like that 

Akatsuki: but it's an option, I guess 

Tatsuo (Admin): You could go on missions, too 

Tatsuo (Admin): There's always a random reward for completing them

Akatsuki: Really? 

Akatsuki: That sounds like a better idea to me 

Alfonzo: But the key word is "random" 

Alfonzo: There's no guarantee that you'll get what you want, you know? 

Akatsuki: That's true 

Akatsuki: But the probability isn't zero 

Akatsuki: So, I'll take that chance... For now, at least 

Tatsuo (Admin): Plus, I'm sure she wouldn't wanna leave any friends she makes while she's stuck in the game world behind 

Tatsuo (Admin): So, just one wouldn't be enough 

Akatsuki: That... may be true 

James: We can talk about this later 

James: Tatsuo and I are at the nest 

James: And the wyverns are looking pretty restless ever since we got here 

James: So, we should probably focus on that for a while} 

After James sent his last message, Tatsuo looked away from the [Dimensional Chat]. When he did, he saw several wyverns circling above them in the sky. And they were looking down at him, James, and Tio as if they were some kind of delicacy. The look in their eyes irritated Tatsuo for some reason. Though, he had no idea why that was. 

"Why are they looking at us like that?' Tatsuo asked, growling in an irritated tone. 

"If these wyverns are like any of the wyverns I've seen in my long life, then, I believe I know why." Scáthach said while gazing up at the circling wyverns. 

*Swoosh!* 

"I don't think he's listening." James said with a grin. "And even if he was, I don't know if he can hear you all the way up there." 

While James spoke, he was pointing up towards the wyverns. More specifically, above them, where Tatsuo had just [Blinked]. 

"No matter." Scáthach replied while watching Tatsuo coat a pair of modified trench knives in midnight purple [Energy]. "Though, that is something we'll have to work on during his training. His energy control could use some work, as well. Honestly, I'm surprised he doesn't run out of whatever form of energy he uses with how much he is wasting." 

As Scáthach's words came to an end, she somewhat reconsidered her opinion on Tatsuo's [Energy] usage as she saw him swing his weapons a total of six times, sending arcs of that midnight purple [Energy] at the six wyverns' necks. 

"It would seem that his control is not as bad as I thought." Scáthach muttered. "Still, it could definitely use some work." 

"I knew you were going to say that." James said. 

"If you wouldn't mind, Master Scáthach, I would like to know the answer to Tatsuo's question from before he... Um..." Tio said, stammering a bit at the end. 

"Ah... Yes, why those wyverns looked at you, the boy, and my disciple the way they did, yes?" Scáthach asked rhetorically. "Well, it's quite simple. In my experience, if a wyvern is able to eat a dragon... or at least some of its flesh, it has a great chance of evolving into something more powerful." 

"But we're clearly more powerful than they are." Tio asked while tilting her head in confusion. "Why would they ever think that was possible?" 

"Because these wyverns are little more than beasts." James said while materializing one of his katanas, Sixth Sense, on his hip. He then dropped into an iaido draw stance and looked up towards a wyvern coming from a different direction than the ones Tatsuo was fighting. "So, they can only tell that we're smaller than they are. And that means they see us as prey." 

In the next instant, James vanished from where he stood in a burst of speed. Then, when he next appeared, he was standing on the wyvern's back and sheathing his katana. 

*Click!* 

Then, when the handguard met the mouth of the sheath, making a sound that was much louder than it had any business to be, the wyvern's head fell off and it started falling towards the ground. However, before it could hit the ground, James used his speed to reappear next to Tio and Scáthach as if nothing happened. 

"Yeah, I don't need Sixth Sense or Carnage for these things." James muttered. "I should have brought Ochiru Sakura and Mangetsu no Shita de instead." 

"Perhaps." Scáthach replied absent-mindedly while watching Tatsuo tear through the wyvern's with great ferocity. "I do believe I mentioned that those blades would be overkill, did I not?" 

"You literally just said, 'I told you so,' without using the words, 'I told you so.'" James said while deadpanning. "I think it would have been better if you had just said it, you know." 

"I see." Scáthach replied as Tatsuo blinked out of the way of a wyvern's breath attack before reappearing over its head and plunging his blade into the wyvern's scull. "Very well then, I told you so." 

In response, James' mouth fell open in stupifaction while Tio tried to hide her giggles by opening her hand fan and covering the lower half of her face with it. And what made this little interaction even funnier, was the fact that Scáthach's lips did not move to form a smile. Instead, the corners of her lips twitched ever so slightly when she felt James' reaction. 

Not knowing what to say, James just turned around and started walking towards another group of approaching wyverns. Then, he simply vanished with the use of the [Flash Step]. In the next instant, the group of wyverns all fell from the sky with long gashes on their throats that sprayed large amounts of blood. 

"Well, that answered my question as to why they were looking at us like that." Tio said while watching Tatsuo and James slaughter wyverns with ease. "But why does Tatsuo seem so angry." 

"Because they are so weak." Scáthach replied while keeping her eyes on Tatsuo. "Though I can tell that you are not a dragon in the sense that I am used to, Tio, I would imagine that you've had your time when pride dictated your actions, as well." 

"*Sigh* I wish I could deny that." Tio replied while shaking her head with a sad look in her eyes. "But every dragonman goes through a phase like that. Luckily, I've had centuries to grow out of it." 

"That's what I expected you to say." Scáthach said with a nod of her head. "And if it weren't for my guidance, I believe that James would still be going through the same phase, as he did not start accumulating draconic aura until he was twelve or thirteen. But Tatsuo, he has only awakened to his draconic aura a little over six months ago, correct?" 

"If you count the time he was in my world on a [Mission], then yes." Tio replied. "But I think his body has only been dealing with it for a few days." 

Hearing that, Scáthach finally turned her gaze away from Tatsuo to stare at Tio with such intensity that the masochistic dragonman took a step back on instinct. 

"Tell me more about what you just mentioned." Scáthach said in a firm tone that would definitely not tolerate refusal. 

Scared into submission by Scáthach's intensity, Tio explained everything Tatsuo told her about what happens to his body when he returns from a [Mission] and how all his experience and gains are crammed into the body he had before leaving for the [Mission]. 

"I see." Scáthach said after taking a few moments to process what she just heard. "It would seem that I need to have a conversation with my disciple when we return to our lodgings. To think he did not tell me everything." 

Conveniently, Scáthach had forgotten, or rather, neglected the fact that she did not believe James' claims of traveling to another world to complete a [Mission] given by the [Dimensional Chat] until yesterday morning. Nor did she even consider that she would have dismissed his claims for the very same reason. Especially since James' gains were not that great when compared to his strength before he left for the [Mission]. 

Meanwhile, Tio found herself shivering. Though, it was not because Tatsuo was giving her a dirty look or something similar. Instead, it was purely from fear. 

'Now I understand why I was so scared back on the plane.' Tio thought to herself while she watched Scáthach return her attention to Tatsuo. 'If she actually does train us, there's a real chance that we'll die, isn't there?'