As the trio finally steps foot just outside the borders of their starter village, the wind dramatically blows past them. They are officially out of the tutorial zone. Aryan turns around, taking one last nostalgic look at the dusty town they are leaving behind.
Aryan: "Alright boys, take it all in. One last look at this place before we bounce. Let's cop a world map and actually touch some grass across the globe. Main character energy starts now."
Ayush: "Honestly? Bet. Let's do it."
Vikas: (already daydreaming, rubbing his hands together) "Bro, wait. If we're traveling the whole world, that means we're gonna meet a ton of different girls, right? I'm talking absolute 10/10s. Top-tier models. The kind of baddies you only see on onstagram."
Aryan: (smirking, instantly shutting him down) "And what exactly is your game plan if you still pull zero maidens out there? What if your rizz is fundamentally broken across all continents?"
Ayush: (sliding up right next to Vikas, batting his eyelashes in a wildly exaggerated, funny flirting style) "Don't worry, baby~ If you can't pull anyone, I'm literally right here! I can be your baddie."
Vikas: (physically recoiling, utterly disgusted) "Nah, bro. Eww. I would legitimately rather die. If that's my fate, I'm staying single for the rest of my miserable life, or just bury me right now."
Ayush: (pouting) "Awwwww, don't say that, baby~!"
Vikas: (waving his hands frantically) "Ahhhh! Hell nah, bro! Please stop, you're making my skin crawl!"
Aryan is basically folded in half, wheezing and laughing hysterically at Vikas fighting for his life against Ayush's flirting.
Still chuckling, the boys make their way to a nearby rustic shop that supposedly sells world maps. Sitting behind the counter is a really old, frail-looking grandpa.
Aryan: (politely) "Hello, Uncle! Could we get one world map, please?"
Uncle: (squinting, his voice trembling and barely audible) "What...?"
Aryan: (speaking a bit louder) "Uncle. A world map, please."
Uncle: "...What?"
Aryan squints his eyes, leaning forward over the counter.
Aryan: "Are you deadass right now?"
Uncle: (instantly perking up, perfectly clear voice) "deadass what?"
Aryan: (eyes widening in disbelief) "Oh, so you heard that loud and clear?!"
Uncle: "...What?"
Vikas absolutely loses it, busting out laughing.
Vikas: "Bro, this boomer is straight-up trolling us! Grandpa's still got the chaotic energy in him. We are getting gaslit by an NPC!"
Aryan, officially out of patience, takes a deep breath and screams at the top of his lungs.
"UNCLE! GIVE US ONE WORLD MAP!"
Uncle: (flinching, casually grabbing a map) "Ohhh, alright, alright. Chill out, You didn't have to scream, you could've just said it nicely."
Vikas and Ayush are now crying from laughing so hard at Aryan getting finessed by an old man. The Uncle hands over the map, and the boys finally hit the road.
After trekking for a while, they arrive at the edge of the land. Floating at the docks is a sketchy-looking boatman who ferries travelers across to the next continent.
Aryan walks right up to him.
Aryan: "Yo, brother! How much cash is it gonna cost to get us across to the other continent?"
Boatman: (rubbing his hands together with a painfully fake, overly sweet smile) "Welcome, sir! Step right up, come on in!"
Ayush leans over and whispers directly into Vikas's ear.
Ayush: (whispering) "Bro... does this guy not give off massive scammer energy? This whole setup is looking mad sus."
Vikas: (whispering back) "Yeah, lowkey. Bro is definitely trying to finesse us."
Aryan: "So, what's the damage? What's the price?"
Boatman: (smirking) "50 Gold Coins."
Ayush's eyes widen. He instantly steps forward, opening his mouth to yell at Aryan to back out and reject the insane price. But before he can even utter a syllable, Aryan shoves both Ayush and Vikas behind him.
Aryan: (casually) "That's fine. Let's go."
Vikas and Ayush: (freaking out, whispering angrily at Aryan) "Are you actually braindead?! Why would you agree to that? We are getting robbed in broad daylight!"
Aryan: (flashing a cool smile) "Just chill, baby."
Aryan hands over the 50 gold coins to the boatman without breaking a sweat, and they hop on the boat.
Time skip. The boat ride is over, and the boys safely disembark onto the new continent. The second the boatman is out of earshot, Vikas snaps.
Vikas: "Aryan, are you actually stupid?! That dude just scammed the absolute life out of us because of you! And wait a minute... where did you even get 50 gold coins in the first place?!"
Aryan: (smirking, dripping with swagger) "Guys, relax. I didn't get scammed. He got scammed. I used Illusion Magic. I handed him literal fake coins, and bro is entirely clueless. He's sailing away rich in his imagination."
Ayush: (frowning, looking genuinely confused) "Wait a minute... how on earth do you know Illusion Magic?"
Aryan's Inner Monologue: Wait. Hold up. Did I not tell them? Have I really not mentioned that my actual power is Copy Magic? Should I drop the lore right now? ...Nah, let me gatekeep this a little longer.
Aryan: (shrugging, acting nonchalant) "I just... have it, bro. Learned it somewhere along the way. No biggie."
Vikas: (crossing his arms) "That is weirdly sus, but whatever. A win is a win."
Ayush's Inner Monologue: How does he know Illusion Magic? I am 100% sure he has never used that before in his life. So how did he just casually pull it out of nowhere? Is bro secretly overpowered? Is he hiding his true stats? Umm... you know what, whatever.
Aryan: (clapping his hands together, interrupting their thoughts) "Look, guys. Be real for a second. We are quite literally in an Isekai'd world right now. Like, this whole situation screams light novel or anime plot. So, since we just finished the prologue, let's give this moment a proper main character ending and secure our fresh start."
Vikas, Aryan, and Ayush all pause.
Slowly, the three of them turn to look in three completely different directions—smiling perfectly as if they are staring directly into imaginary anime camera angles panning around them.
In perfect, cinematic unison, they shout:
"LET'S GOOO!"