Imp-erator (Multicross SI) — Chapter 1

AN: Had another plot bunny that kept distracting me. Enjoy:

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“We did it! The summoning was a success!”

What the fuck. I blinked the stars out of my eyes, picking myself up with a grunt and looking around in confusion.

A small chamber. Stone walls. Stone floor. Glowing magic circle. Not alone.

My body tensed.

A bunch of robed men stood before me—us—blocking the only exit, looking at us with eager smiles on their faces—

The two small bars in the top left corner of my vision immediately caught my eye, the first one green, the other blue. My name right next to them.

Health and mana bars?

A motherfucking isekai?

Four other guys stood next to me, one of them looking around in confusion, the other three more curious than anything else. Three of them had a weapon in hand—sword, spear, bow—the last, confused guy holding just a shield.

I blinked owlishly, this whole scene awfully familiar.

“Why are there five of them—

A young looking, robed guy spoke up, only for another one to immediately shush him and whisper something aggressively to his face.

Not cool. I wanted to hear the answer, too.

“O brave heroes, please save our world!” the robed man at the center of his group suddenly spoke, hands clasped in front of his chest.

Fucking wot?

An average trash isekai plot—

A green and blue bar suddenly popped above the guy’s head as I kept staring, floating there idly, a name and red skull next to it.

Court mage?

I tensed again, eyeing the Hogwarts reject warily. Was that the level? Simply too high to show the number—

“What do you mean by that?” one of the guys next to me spoke up, shifting the bow in his hands.

“There is a long and complicated story behind this,” the same robed dude spoke, “but we’ve summoned you here using an ancient ritual.”

A frown twitched on my face. If I had a heads-up display, I should have a system, too, right?

“Our world teeters on the brink of destruction—

Menu. Nothing happened.

Status. No dice.

—we beg you, O brave heroes! Please save us!”

System. Nada.

Properties. Nope.

Bruh. Come on…

“I guess I could hear you out at least.”

“I refuse.”

“Likewise.”

“We can go back to our world, right? We’ll talk about your problems after that.”

“Don’t you guys feel any guilt at all about bringing us here without out consent?”

An odd feeling of deja-vu tickled at the back of my mind as I tuned out the cringe and kept trying.

Character. Again, nothing.

Character menu. Still nothing.

Character status. Nuh-uh.

Character properties. Nope.

My mouth twitched in annoyance. Dude, what the fuck…

—we might end up becoming your enemies.”

And these guys were still going on about their shit.

“What’s the name of this kingdom?” I interrupted the cringe session, my fellow isekai victims perking up at the question as the Hogwarts rejects whispered among themselves some more.

Character page. Nope.

Character info—

A small window suddenly popped before my eyes, floating there idly. Fucking finally.

Going by the lack of reactions around me, nobody else could see it. Good.

I glossed over the empty equipment slots, studying the tab to the side and the various stats it showed.

This UI looked awfully familiar…

My eyes lingered on the words at the top.

Level 1 Warlock.

Warlock? Was that my class—

The polite clearing of a throat drew my attention to the mage at the front. “You are in the Kingdom of Melromarc.”

I blinked, staring blankly at the Hogwarts reject. Melromarc?

I’ve heard that befo—

Oh.

I blinked again, taking another glance at my fellow isekai victims, gaze quickly going back to the floating, character window.

My eyes widened, the epiphany lancing through my mind like a thunderbolt.

Spellbook.

Another window opened next to my character page, the first two slots of the list filled each by a familiar looking icon.

[Shadow Bolt]

[Immolate]

Oh.

“Please come with us. The King is waiting for an audience. You can negotiate rewards after that.”

I glanced back at the mage, mouth twitching.

I couldn’t help it. Laughter bubbled in my chest, rising up my throat and spilling out in wheezing, high-pitched waves, the others looking at me as if I was crazy. I couldn’t care less.

This was going to be epic.

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Ren followed the head wizard, looking around the large courtyard idly. Meeting the King, huh? So far, this was playing out just like in Brave Star Online—

“Ooh, ooh, ooh~ we still hot like fire~”

A loud voice reached his ears, drawing his attention to the side.

And now he started singing. Great.

Everyone stared at the black-haired weirdo as he bobbed his head to some imaginary rhythm, strutting like he owned the place, hands in his pockets.

“Ooh, ooh, ooh~ we still climbing higher~”

Ren looked away, face heating up as a wave of second-hand embarrassment suddenly washed over him.

He’d seen plenty of weird foreigners, but he never met anyone like this guy, who kept randomly bursting out in giggles ever since the summoning.

There was something wrong with this guy’s head, for sure.

“Ooh, ooh, ooh~ until we desire~”

Crazy gaijin.

“We never go tired, Connect-R and Mayer~”

Ren’s mouth tightened as the weirdo kept singing.

He threw a subtle glance at the others, but the bow guy didn’t seem to care, while the spear guy was idly bobbing his head along.

Ugh…

If any of the mages found it annoying, they sure weren’t showing it on their faces.

Ren moved a little farther to the side, putting as much distance between him and the crazy guy as he could without standing out.

There was also that weird, creepy vibe about him that—

“The song’s kinda catchy,” the spear guy spoke idly, and Ren couldn’t hide the frown.

Ugh, don’t enable him, dude.

A heavy sigh escaped him. “I’m not exactly a fan of foreign music,” he said, his frown deepening “Why is he even here? That’s not how this is supposed to go.”

“Now that you mention it, he doesn’t have a weapon. Is he an extra?”

“I think I’ve seen this in a game,” the bow spoke up. “The summoning ritual accidentally grabbed a random person, but they didn’t get any powers and became a farmer or something.”

A snort escaped the spear guy, Ren staring flatly. He had a feeling that this wouldn’t be that easy.

Mouth drawing a thin line, he took a subtle glance to the side.

The weirdo was busy staring intently at a balcony up ahead. There was nothing there, but at least he’d stopped singing.

Small mercies.

The crazy gaijin finally looked away, smiling like a loon as he walked closer to the rest of the group. “Bold of you to assume I’m a normie.”

Ren slowed down his pace, putting more distance between them as the spear guy just stood there, showing zero self-preservation instincts.

“Oh yeah? Then what’s your cheat power, uncle?”

“Dude, I’m only twenty-six.”

“You’re still much older than all of us,” the bow guy chimed in, the weirdo slumping a little, smile becoming tight.

“Fair enough.”

“So, got any powers?” the spear guy prodded again, twirling his weapon in one hand and resting it on his shoulder.

What a show-off…

“Ever heard of World of Warcraft?” the gaijin asked, getting confused looks in return.

Was that supposed to be a video game? He’d never heard of any recent VRMMO with that name.

“Nope.” The spear guy shook his head.

“Doesn’t sound familiar,” the bow guy said, but a flash of movement caught Ren’s eye as the shielder nearly stumbled at the other side of their group.

Did he recognize the name or what?

Ren observed him curiously, only to frown as the guy kept silent, watching the byplay from the corner of his eyes.

“The name sounds kinda lame,” the spear guy said, drawing an amused look from the weirdo.

“Well, I’m basically a warlock from that game.”

Warlock?

“Warlock? That class didn’t exist in the game.”

“Yeah, the only spell-casters were mage, priest, and summoner.”

Ren’s brow furrowed. The hell were they talking about? “The spell-casters classes are wizard, priest, and invoker.”

“Invoker?”

Ren fixed the spear guy with a flat look. Was this guy playing dumb?

“Warlock?” the shielder finally spoke, more to himself than anyone else, eyes wide as if he’d just seen a ghost. What was this guy’s problem?

The loony perked up, sharing a brief look with the shielder before breaking down into deranged giggles.

Gods…

Mouth tight, Ren looked away with a long-suffering sigh, trying to ignore those high-pitched, hyena noises.

Why couldn’t he get a normal isekai?

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Aultcray sat on his throne, waiting patiently.

Hopefully, the summoning would go without issue. A risky move on his part, but the opportunity was too tempting to ignore. The political backlash should keep Mirellia busy for a good while, and that should give him enough time to see through his plan.

His grip on the armrest tightened.

Sometimes, it was better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

The large doors opened, drawing the attention of everyone inside the hall as the head mage stepped inside, followed by five young men. Four of them held the cardinal weapons of legend, while the last one walked empty handed, though with a confident smile that belied his station.

Aultcray stood straighter on the throne, brow furrowing as the otherworlders came to a stop in front of him.

“Five?” He looked at the head mage. “What is the meaning of this?”

The man bowed his head, hiding a grimace. “I can’t say for certain, your highness. He was summoned along the others.”

“How? The ritual should only summon the four cardinal heroes.”

The summoning ritual might be a poorly understood magic, but nothing like this had been recorded throughout history.

“We don’t know. This is unprecedented,” the mage said. “We assumed he was simply another human dragged along by accident, but he claimed to possess a form of power.”

Oh?

Aultcray’s brow rose a fraction as he regarded the young man curiously. “Is that so?”

The otherworlder nodded, that tiny, cocksure smile still curling the corner of his lips. “It is, your highness.”

Aultcray hummed quietly to himself, gaze narrowing slightly. It could be a bluff, but something told him otherwise. And a simple demonstration would make things clear for everyone to witness.

“Well then, I suppose we should proceed,” he said, voice carrying through the throne room as he eyed the three heroes. “I am the king of Melromarc, Aultcray Melromarc the thirty-second. Heroes, name yourselves.”

The Sword Hero took a step forward. “Ren Amaki, sixteen years old, high schooler.”

The Spear Hero followed suit, “I’m Kitamura Motoyasu. Twenty-one, and a college student.”

“I suppose I’m next,” the Bow Hero said, “Kawasumi Itsuki, seventeen years old, and a high schooler.”

“I’m—

“I see.” Aultcray nodded, ignoring the shield devil as his gaze shifted to the last man in line, studying him intently. “And you?”

He looked older and, despite showing the same overconfidence as the other three, he had a—

“H-Hey, King, aren’t you forgetting me?” The shield devil interrupted before the man could answer.

A flash of anger rose in Aultcray’s chest as he briefly closed his eyes. “Hmm. Yes, I suppose I did.”

“You’re being disrespectful,” the Bow Hero said, drawing the shield devil’s attention.

“Should I call him his highness, then?”

“That’s too formal, no?”

Aultcray cleared his throat. “‘King’ is fine.”

“Well, whatever works,” the shield devil said, “My name is Iwatani Naofumi. I’m twenty, and a college student.”

Appearances seemed to be highly deceiving with this shield devil.

Suppressing a frown, he looked back at the last one in line, waiting expectantly.

The man swept an arm, leaning slightly in a formal bow. “Alexander Crowley, twenty-six, physician.”

A physician?

He could be useful even if he lacked any special abilities.

Aultcray hummed thoughtfully. “Tell me about this power you claim to possess.”

Alexander smiled politely, gesturing a hand at the empty space before himself. “Well, according to my status page, I am a warlock, and I can wield Fire and Shadow magic.”

Pin-drop silence followed his words, Aultcray’s eyes widening in disbelief.

Status? He had a Status? How? That shouldn’t be possible—

“What’s a status?” That ignorant shield devil once again interrupted, Aultcray’s jaw tightening as he fought back a sneer.

“You don’t know? That should’ve been the first thing you noticed in this world,” Ren spoke. “Try focusing on that small icon in the corner of your vision.”

“Then,” Aultcray began, drawing the heroes’ attention. “I suppose you wouldn’t mind giving us a demonstration.”

“Of course, your highness,” Alexander said, the three heroes watching him curiously while the shield devil stared wide-eyed.

“Wait! In here? Is that a good idea—

“Go on,” Aultcray spoke, tone a little harsher than he intended, and the dark-haired man simply raised a hand, fingers splayed outwards. Then, a pitch-black darkness suddenly engulfed his hand, spinning and gathering into an orb that seemed to suck the very light around it.

The shadow writhed, as if possessing a will of its own, and Aultcray felt a shiver crawl down his back, the room suddenly feeling colder.

This felt nothing like Dark Magic—

The guards lining the room brandished their weapons on reflex, but he raised a shaky hand, quelling them at once.

Alexander clenched his fist, snuffing out that baleful shadow, and Aultcray released a shaky breath. That icy feeling lingered in the pit of his stomach as he sank in his seat, back damp with cold sweat.

The attendants were all tense, looking warily at the otherworlder as he sat there, with that tiny smile on his face.

How could this man wield such an unsettling power without even flinching?

“Dude, what the hell was that?” the Spear Hero broke the silence, eyes wide and arms hanging limply at his side.

“Yeah, that felt way too creepy,” the Bow Hero quietly added.

The Sword Hero stayed quiet, shoulders tense as he eyed the warlock cautiously.

“The Void…” the shield devil whispered, eyes wide and mouth open in a deeply unsettled look, and despite the tense atmosphere, Aultcray felt a tiny smirk twitch on his face.

“Void? What void?” the Spear Hero asked in confusion.

“It’s shadow magic, and I can’t do anything about that feeling. That’s just how it is.”

Aultcray breathed out a quiet sigh. An unfortunate downside, but perhaps this magic made up for that in scope and potency?

“Anything else?” he spoke, tapping a finger idly on the armrest as his measured voice carried through the quiet hall.

Alexander met his intent gaze with a polite smile. “From what I saw in my status, I will learn more spells as I increase my level.”

“Well, that’s to be expected,” the Spear Hero spoke. “It worked the same for the spell-casters in game.”

Aultcray stared at the warlock in disbelief. That ability wasn’t unlike the way cardinal heroes improved their weapons and unlocked new abilities.

A sudden thought gave him pause.

Was this man a new cardinal hero?

Was that even possible?

The old legends spoke of nothing like this…

Aultcray released a quiet breath as he mulled over everything, gaze wandering across the room.

This otherworlder wielded a dark and deeply unsettling power… but they could use it. No matter what anyone might think.

The world was on the brink of destruction, and this country needed as much strength as it could get. That it unnerved the Shield Devil the most out of all, that only made it even better.

Smiling at that thought, Aultcray stood straighter in his seat. “For now, we shall hold you with the same expectations as a cardinal hero. You have our support, Warlock.”

The man smiled, slightly inclining his head. “Thank you, your highness.”

“You may call me ‘King’, just like the others.”

“Very well.”

Aultcray took a moment to gather his thoughts, before regarding the warlock and the heroes with a measured look. “Now, I suppose I owe you an explanation.”

This was going to be a long evening…

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Author’s Note: If you’re wondering how the multiverse travel will happen, Warlocks can open portals at higher levels. Well, it’s mostly to the Twisting Nether, but the process is basically tearing a hole between dimensions, so, in this case, our protagonist should be able to open portals to random worlds.

Also, I’m not planning to go through the entire Shield Hero plot. This is basically the tutorial world for grinding xp, so I’d say maybe 50k-100k words until the MC leaves.

For the next destination, I was thinking Frieren or DxD, but I’m open to hearing your suggestions. Though if DxD isn’t the second, it will have to be the third, since Touki is too good to pass up.