You are very strong, but my painting style is better than yours!

"Um... a swordsman, a staff-wielding mage, a priest, a warrior or shield bearer... like that?" Yosuke thought for a moment, "If we analyze it from a racial perspective, it would be humans, elves, dwarves, and mascot animal characters or elves?"

"That's generally true, but the hero teams of 'Grangbahamar' are mostly made up of humans, since demi-humans are rare."

"I see... And then, why did you bring this up?"

"If the transferees come with some kind of mission, what kind of trials will the gods bestow upon them?"

Could it be like in a game, where you need to assemble a "heroic" team and complete certain epic quests to "clear the game"?

Iori narrowed her eyes slightly: "The reward for clearing the game is a wishing opportunity, or a ticket back to your hometown—that's a very classic setup."

"Yes!"

Yang Jie suddenly realized that he had not received any guidance from the gods and had been blindly exploring the way back, like a blind man touching an elephant, but could not find a starting point.

After Iori's suggestion, he suddenly realized that following the "royal road plot" was also very promising!

Whether it's true or not, having a goal is better than continuing to wander aimlessly!

“This is one of the possibilities I envisioned, but the title of ‘Hero’ in this world seems to require the approval of the church and the king, and it is said that no one has appeared in such a long time… Besides, there is no threat in this era that can be called ‘Demon King’.”

"Hmm! This is a difficult problem... Come to think of it, there would be no 'hero' without a 'Demon King'."

Yosuke touched his chin; he had grown stubble in just a few days since he hadn't groomed it.

"How about we raise one? Like those players who raise their pets to the maximum level and then release them in the starting village."

"...In a sense, you've resorted to any means necessary."

Iori shook her head: "It doesn't necessarily have to be a Demon King. A powerful monster like a dragon would also work. In fact, dragons have been a villainous boss for a long time, even longer than the concept of a 'Demon King'."

"Alright! Let's go find the quest to slay the evil dragon!"

"Wait a minute, I haven't finished yet."

Iori took a sip of the bland beer and continued, "Interestingly, the 'Trials of God' really do exist in this world—I saw it in a storybook called 'Three Shrines'."

"The Trial of the Gods?" Yosuke's attention was immediately drawn. "What does that mean?"

"It's like a nursery rhyme, but it's very widely circulated."

He straightened up and chanted in a low voice:

"【The Temple of Knowledge: 'Dordo'"

【The Shrine of the Body 'Xia Lai Gu'】

[The Mysterious Shrine's 'Blessing']

Ah~ let's go to the ancestral hall~

God will guide warriors from other lands.

By passing the trials in the three shrines, you will see the truth of the world.

"Did you understand?"

"God's trials, warriors from foreign lands...foreign lands? Us?"

Yosuke noticed the key information in the nursery rhyme and took a deep breath: "Could it be that this nursery rhyme is about us? Can we go home after passing that trial?!"

"It's hard to say, there's only a certain chance," Iori said calmly.

Yosuke, however, was extremely excited: "That's enough! We were transferred here by the god of another world, so since this trial is related to the god, then it must be—"

"Calm down, sit down first, and don't be so loud."

"Well!"

Yosuke then realized that he had somehow stood up, and because of his inexplicable shout, all the diners in the hall were looking at him.

"Ahem! Sorry..."

"It's alright, after all, it concerns your wish."

Iori expressed her understanding and smiled, "After the initial exploration, we are finally about to take the first step... Now we have three paths in front of us."

"Three roads?"

"The main route involves traveling around to collect companions and side quests, trying to obtain the title of 'Hero,' and then challenging mythical monsters... This is the formula for most fantasy RPGs, and it would be ideal if you could 'complete' the game this way."

"Mmm!" Yosuke nodded vigorously.

"Then comes the trial of the gods, just as the song goes, we go to the three legendary shrines and pass their tests one by one."

The difficulty of this route lies in the fact that the story is too ancient, the exact locations of the three shrines are unknown, and there is no relevant information to refer to regarding the trials each presents.

"However, this is directly related to 'gods,' which is quite concerning."

"That's right... the last one is 'learning from the experience of predecessors'."

Iori explained to Yosuke, "Many transmigrators have come to this world before us, including many heroes who have accomplished great things and left behind many legends in 'Glangbahamar'."

Among these people, some may have successfully returned to Earth. If we can delve deeper into their stories and trace their correct life trajectories, we might also find clues.

"Three paths: the brave, the trials, and the lessons of those who came before... Now I know how to move forward, and I feel full of motivation!"

Yosuke looked at Iori expectantly: "Where do we start? Which of the three paths should we choose?"

"This isn't a game where you have to choose one of three. We're perfectly capable of doing it all at once. Just keep an eye out for shrines and other remnants of the migration during your travels."

After Iori finished speaking, she paused, glanced at the entrance of the lobby, and narrowed her eyes slightly.

He said meaningfully, "But in any case, it's time for us to leave this city."

"Hmm? Indeed." Yosuke nodded, not feeling that it needed to be pointed out specifically.

"Before leaving, you need to prepare, such as the supplies needed for the trip... and your interpersonal relationships, etc."

"Interpersonal relationships?"

"I estimate it will be within the next two or three days. Let's take advantage of this rest time to deal with these matters properly—we don't even know if we'll ever come back, and for many of us, this may be the last time we see each other."

Iori raised her chin and gestured for Yosuke to turn his head, and the bespectacled youth turned his head and saw half of a familiar figure flash past the doorway.

"Sigh, that belongs to the union..."

"That girl has been showing up around here a lot lately."

Iori smiled slightly and teased, "Didn't you notice?"

"Now that you mention it..."

How could he not have noticed? Although he was just an ordinary gamer before, he experienced the harsh realities of society as soon as he arrived in this world. Yosuke is constantly on guard against everything around him, whether it is monsters or humans, and he fundamentally has no trust in others.

Iori could naturally gain his trust, but she was an exceptional case among exceptional cases.

With such a mindset, Yosuke was naturally very sensitive to the gazes staring at him from the shadows... However, since the object of the gaze was the appraiser, he naturally assumed that she was interested in the rare magical artifacts he possessed.

"If it weren't for magical items... interpersonal relationships..."

Yosuke stared at the doorway with a furrowed brow. After a moment, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he looked shocked, as if he had figured something out.

"Could it be her?!"

“That’s right, you finally realized it… That’s why we need to be more careful. These are the last few days, so we have to make sure things are settled properly.” Iori said with a helpless expression, but her words were full of encouragement.

"Yes... I understand. Iori, don't worry, leave this to me!" Yosuke's expression was serious, and he looked extremely reliable.

Upon seeing this, Iori couldn't help but look at him with new respect:

Although he's a very disappointing person in many ways, he's definitely a very responsible person!

-

The next day, Iori, Yosuke, and Ms. Farrell, the union's appraiser, met in front of an upscale restaurant.

"Ugh?"

"Ok?"

Iori and Farrell both froze, letting out surprised sounds.

"You also invited Miss Farrell/Mr. Iori?"

The two looked at the host, Yosuke Shimazaki, and the bespectacled young man gave a perfectly natural smile.

"No need to thank me, it's what I should do for my dear friend."

"Huh?" Iori blinked.

"Actually, I had already sensed it, but I always felt it wasn't right to get involved. But since there's no time left, let's settle things now—Miss Farrell!"

"Ah? Yes, I'm here!" The appraiser was startled. She had dressed up specially today and looked even more beautiful than usual. Her hairstyle had also changed from a simple braid to long, straight hair.

I completely understand your feelings, and I think you don't need to hide anything. Just speak your mind!

"Mr. Wolf, I... I actually meant—"

"Alright! Now it's up to you two to handle this yourselves. Iori, you should listen carefully to what they have to say before making a decision!"

"…………ah?"

"…………Hello!"

"What's wrong... your expressions are a bit scary."

Bonus Chapter: We Just Need to Shout It Out (4K)

--pause.

"Isn't that going too far? I'm clearly thinking so much about them, yet they look at me like that."

The image on the screen remained still, and Yosuke Shimazaki immediately began to make sarcastic remarks, hoping to gain his nephew's approval.

"I could almost feel the murderous intent. I don't even know why I'm angry. Was it because I shouldn't have brought things up? But there should be a limit to shyness. If I miss this opportunity, it could be a lifelong regret."

Jingwen, don't you think they went too far?

"Yes……"

It's all my uncle's fault—the young man's forehead was covered in black lines.

Why was this meeting arranged?

"I already said it was to create an opportunity for the appraiser. If we just break up like this without saying anything, wouldn't that be too pitiful for her?"

"No! That's the problem! You clearly understood the other person's feelings, so why did you misunderstand them at the most crucial moment!"

Jingwen, unable to bear it any longer, questioned, "In the end, why does Uncle think she likes Mr. Iori?"

"Why... even if you say it that way, it's obvious and doesn't need any further explanation, right?"

Yosuke said calmly, "If I were Farrell, I would also fall for Iori."

"..."

Jingwen leaned back tactically, recalling how Yangjie had remained unmoved by such a lovely girl, and couldn't help but feel a profound awe at his uncle's explosive statement.

"No! Don't misunderstand! I was just trying to put myself in someone else's shoes, I didn't mean anything else!"

"Of course, how could I misunderstand... cough!"

Jingwen coughed lightly, turning his gaze elsewhere: "Isn't there any other basis? Miss Farrell might also like someone else, like... someone who's always with Mr. Iori?"

"How could that be? Jingwen, your common sense and emotional intelligence are lacking. You need to work harder on these areas."

"Emotional intelligence?!" Jingwen felt a bit shocked for some reason. "I was actually told by my uncle that I lack emotional intelligence... Ugh!"

"Although I am single in real life, I have met countless lovers in games, and thus accumulated a lot of experience. Therefore, I can conclude that in the so-called 'love,' the first impression is very important."

The uncle adjusted his glasses: "So, in other words—it's all about looks!"

"Judging by looks!" Jingwen was startled. "Another lesson learned from games... Will Sega make a bishoujo game?"

"Think about it carefully, whether it's a bishoujo game or an action-adventure game, the male protagonist is either handsome, resolute and heroic, or gentle and refined, except for those who never show their face or cover their face with long bangs. Even if they are set as 'ordinary protagonists' in the background, they can at least be described as good-looking in the real world."

In conclusion, for game developers, having a protagonist who can leave a lasting impression is essential!

Even in unconventional works, the protagonist must possess a distinctive quality that instantly sets them apart from ordinary characters!

“That’s true,” Jingwen nodded in agreement. “That makes a lot of sense, Uncle.”

"Then let me ask you, Jingwen, you must answer honestly—"

How do I look?