From the giant castle door at the far side of the great hall, 96 more Players came in escorted by 1000 more Adventurers.

The Players joined Akumi and the others in the centre of the circle while the Adventurers joined General Mantis and the others in the crowd.

Akumi recognised some of the Players present: there was Maria, the Super Maria Sisters Online World Champion, Princess, the Legend of Griselda Online World Champion, and Huntress, the Netroid Online World Champion. Most of the others were dressed in outfits that hid their identities.

Everyone eyed each other suspiciously. In order to become a VRMMO world champion, you had to make a lot of enemies, both inside and outside the game, so most of the people here disliked each other. Who knows what would happen now that they'd all been isekai'd.

Akumi heard a familiar feminine, Japanese accent behind her. 'Fuji?!'

Oh, no.

She turned around to find Saeko Daigo, aka Monstress, the former Dungeons & Drakes Online World Champion. She was the same as ever: big pigtails, wild eyes, an hourglass figure, and a black sailor fuku school uniform.

'It is you!' Saeko grinned. She ran up and glomped Akumi. 'Oh my god, it's so good to see yooou!'

Akumi sighed. 'Hello, Saeko.'

She wasn't sure how she felt about this. Saeko was her old Guild Master from the Monsters Guild in Dungeons & Drakes Online, the same one who had locked her in the Frozen Necropolis for her initiation ceremony. Akumi had left the Monsters Guild partially because of Saeko and her antics. She had been what could only be described as a frenemy, equal parts hero, mentor, and bully. She could be charming, insane, or utterly evil at the drop of a hat. Akumi would have to watch herself.

'Isn't all this crazy?!' said Saeko. 'I feel like Alice in Wonderland, or Dorothy in Oz, or John Carter on Mars, only unlike those bitches, I can do this!' She grew flaming, black hair all over her body, pointy dog ears, and a bushy dog tail, transforming herself into a Hellhound Girl Warrior. 'Tadaaa!'

That's right! Saeko was a Monster Girl Doppelgänger just like her!

'Wow!' said Akumi.

'Show me yours!' said Saeko. 'Show me yours!'

'Um, okay!' Akumi transformed into a Werewolf Girl Warrior.

Saeko's eyes sparkled. 'Awesome!' She took Akumi's cheeks between her hands (surprisingly, the fire didn't hurt). 'You're so fluffy!' She kissed her on the forehead. 'Oh, we're going to have so much fun together, Fuji! It'll be like old times! Now that we've been isekai'd, we can do anything we want! We could recreate Spear Art Online (if you're feeling heroic), or Dark Lord (if you're feeling villainous), or Homeless Reincarnation (if you're feeling frisky)! The world is our oyster!'

Akumi laughed nervously. 'Yeah.'

Emma cleared her throat. 'Do you know this woman, Monster Girl?'

Michelle and Jane were making faces behind her.

Saeko gasped. 'You made friends?!'

'Um....' Akumi rubbed the back of her head. 'Saeko, this is Emma, the Call of Honour Online World Champion, Michelle, the Street Brawler Online World Champion, and Jane, the Extraterrestrial Combat Online World Champion.'

Saeko pointed at Akumi. 'Tinky-Winky.' She pointed at Emma. 'Laa-Laa.' She pointed at Michelle. 'Dipsy.' She pointed at Jane. 'Po.'

Jane jumped up. 'Po!'

Emma and Michelle growled.

At least Jane had gotten over getting slapped.

'I made friends, too!' said Saeko. She ran between two strangers, put her arms over their shoulders, and brought them over. One was a short, ugly Asian boy in a yellow hooded onesie with pointed horns; the other was a tall, handsome Asian man in a glasses and a white gakuran school uniform who looked awfully familiar....

'The shorty is Chu,' said Saeko, 'aka Pika, the Mon Online World Champion.'

Chu held out his hand. 'Pleased to mee'cha, Monster Girl!'

Akumi shook his hand and got an electric shock. She shrieked as her hand tingled.

Chu laughed and held up a joy buzzer. 'Go'cha!'

Saeko giggled. 'Isn't he funny?'

Akumi smiled nervously. 'Um, yeah, hilarious.' She shook her head at Emma before she slapped him.

'He's a delinquent from Tokyo,' said Saeko, 'if you can't tell already. As for the big one over here—'

Akumi remembered.

'You're Lee Sun-Moon! You're Hivemind! The SpaceCraft Online World Champion! I'm president of your fan club!'

Lee held up his nose at her. 'I have no reason to associate with rabble such as yourself. Away with you.'

Akumi felt her heart beat faster. He was just like in the interviews! Oh, my South Korean prince, step on meee!

Saeko smiled. 'I can see you two will get along like a house on fire.' She looked around. 'Now that everyone's here, I wonder what will happen next?'

Akumi shrugged. 'I guess the Adventurers Guild will explain what's going on.'

One of the Players screamed.

They were burning.