"Huh? I'm the only one left?"
Just as Xingqiu was about to check his reward, he suddenly realized the shop was empty.
Even Yanfei and Xiangling had left.
"I must've gotten too absorbed in reading."
He laughed helplessly.
But he didn't regret it.
A manga this good deserved careful reading.
Shaking his head, he carried the book toward the counter.
The moment Paimon saw him coming, her eyes lit up.
She immediately flew over.
"Was it good? What's it about? Just tell me the important parts!"
She had made a bet with Boss Han.
So she needed to prepare thoroughly.
And asking someone who already read it was obviously a smart move.
Sure, it might involve spoilers—but winning against Boss Han was more important.
"It's an excellent manga," Xingqiu said after pondering for a moment.
"As for the content… it's about time travel, parallel worlds, and the choice of fate."
Paimon: (⊙_⊙)
Huh???
She understood time travel.
But what were the other two things?
Parallel worlds?
Choice of fate?
Was this manga some kind of philosophical scripture?
"You'll understand if you read it yourself. Those who get it, get it. Those who don't—won't understand even if it's explained.
After all, everything is the choice of Steins Gate."
Xingqiu said this with deep emotion.
Paimon's mouth twitched.
"What are you even saying?!"
Those who get it, get it? If you don't get it, explaining won't help?
Why are you talking in riddles like Boss Han now?!
Can you speak like a normal person?!
"…Forget it. I'll read it myself tomorrow."
After a long pause, Paimon sighed and gloomily grabbed a bottle of Fat Otaku Happy Water.
She shouldn't have asked.
Han Feng couldn't help but smile.
Xingqiu was giving off strong "mysterious forum answer" vibes.
The kind that goes:
"Those who understand already understand. Those who don't wouldn't understand even if I explained. There are too many powerful figures involved. The water runs deep. Most of the information has been wiped from the internet. So I can only say—those who get it, get it."
Sounds profound.
Actually says nothing.
No wonder Paimon looked so speechless.
Han Feng shook his head and shifted his gaze to the system panel.
The reward had refreshed.
[Customer Xingqiu has finished reading Steins;Gate.]
[Reward: Ruka Urushibara Three-Day Experience.]
[Ruka Urushibara Experience:]
Second-year student at Hanayase Aoi Private Academy.
Son of the Yanabayashi Shrine in Akihabara. Wears shrine maiden robes at the family shrine.
Delicate and refined, with the personality of a proper young lady — but male.
No matter how you look at him, he appears to be a beautiful girl — but male.
A Yamato Nadeshiko-style cross-dressing shrine maiden.
Note: Since Ruka "possesses" different genders across different world lines, during these three days, the host will undergo irregular gender transformations.
"…This reward…"
Han Feng's eyelid twitched.
In his previous life, countless fans had drawn female versions of Genshin characters.
Zhongli, Venti, Kaeya, Diluc—everyone had one.
But the most convincing one?
Xingqiu.
When artists gave him long blue hair and a skirt, players were stunned.
Even Chongyun would probably call him pretty.
His naturally delicate face made it believable.
But even then—
that was just cross-dressing.
Ruka Urushibara?
That was a whole different level.
This wasn't just appearance.
This involved actual gender switching.
"And it's random during the three days…"
Han Feng sighed.
Dainsleif's magical girl form could at least be controlled.
This one?
It was like Cloud Retainer's Slime Experience Card.
You just had to wait it out.
He glanced sympathetically at the unlucky young master.
Buzz—
A brilliant beam of light descended and enveloped Xingqiu.
"Is my reward coming?!"
He grew excited.
He'd been looking forward to this.
But when the light faded—
There was nothing in his hands.
No card.
No object.
No information in his mind.
"…?"
Xingqiu frowned.
Wasn't there supposed to be a reward?
He looked at Han Feng.
"Boss, where's my reward? Was it missed?"
"It's already been distributed."
Han Feng shook his head.
"Distributed?"
Xingqiu blinked.
Did he overlook something?
He immediately started patting down his pockets.
"Cough. No need to look," Han Feng said.
"Your reward is the Ruka Urushibara Three-Day Experience. For the next three days, you will undergo irregular gender transformations."
"…What?"
"G-Gender transformation?"
Xingqiu froze.
He knew who Ruka Urushibara was.
The manga had mentioned him.
Though male—he looked even more delicate and refined than Xingqiu himself.
Honestly, he looked completely like a girl.
More importantly—
Ruka's personality was that of a proper young lady.
Shy.
Soft-spoken.
Blushed easily.
And now—he had to experience that for three days?
Xingqiu felt his world collapsing.
How was this a reward?
This was torture!
"But even if it's an experience… why would my gender change?"
After a moment, realization dawned on him.
In Steins;Gate—
Ruka had actually changed into a biological girl through a D-Mail.
Rukako, after all.
Xingqiu's face slowly turned pale.
He suddenly had a very, very bad feeling about the next three days.
—------------------------------
Pat reon Advance Chapters: patreon.com/YonkoSlayer