CHAPTER 3: AN IMMORTAL WASTE OF SPACE
He's not yet wide awake but it's another day, save me from this boredom.
The morning light filtered through threadbare curtains, casting pale streaks across the cramped apartment. Dust motes danced lazily in the stagnant air, tinged with the faint smell of yesterday's takeout and a metallic hint of lingering magic.
The stone walls, rough and cool to the touch, glistened faintly in the dim glow of a floating orb in the corner, its blue light pulsing like a heartbeat.
"Fuck you, Zero," he muttered, throat scratchy as if he'd been snoring for a century.
[Hehe, you're awake. It seems my poetry wakes you up. You did have an affinity with literature.]
Zero's voice crackled through the air, sharp and teasing.
Rubbing his eyes with the back of his knuckles, he squinted against the harsh glare.
"You've been on about my past life. I don't even know anything about it, well, other than anime and some shit," he grumbled, propping himself up on one elbow, the bed creaking under his weight. The air smelled of damp stone and old wood.
[Ah, anime, the core of an Otaku. To ease assimilation in your new life, your memories were wiped, leaving only what made your core personality. And lemme tell you, you were lazy, chaotic, sociopathic, anime-loving, manga-reading, novel-reading, people-hating, with almost no social life. You were human trash—only your friends could tolerate you.]
Zero's voice dripped with mock pity.
"Okay," Zeke said, unfazed, lips twitching into a half-smirk as he swung his legs over the bed's edge, bare feet brushing the cold, uneven stone floor. The chill shot up his spine.
[I hate you already.] Zero's tone was playful, like a sulking child.
"Don't disturb me. I'm going to do what a decent human does when they wake up," Zeke shot back, stretching, joints popping like old floorboards. His immortal body moved with fluid strength.
[You know you didn't brush or bathe early in your past life, especially when you didn't leave the house—and that was most of the time. Ew.]
Zero's voice shuddered dramatically.
A smirk tugged at Zeke's mouth. "It seems I'm a changed man. You should learn you can't shame the shameless. As an immortal, I'm as shameless as I can be. After all, you'll die and forget my shameful acts."
He sauntered toward the bathroom door, bare feet slapping the stone with a rhythmic thud, the air growing cooler with a faint scent of mildew and soap.
[Someone has adapted.]
Zero's voice was smug.
---
Zeke walked into the bathroom of the apartment he'd woken in yesterday. The cramped space was lined with cracked ceramic tiles, gleaming faintly under a flickering mana-powered bulb. The sink bore rust stains, and the toothbrush—bristles worn and splayed—felt ancient.
He scrubbed vigorously, minty foam cutting through the stale taste in his mouth. The showerhead sputtered, spitting lukewarm water that smelled of minerals. Zeke stood under the spray, the water tracing paths down his bronze skin, which glowed faintly under the bulb's light. The rough, unscented soap scraped his skin, suds swirling down the drain with a soft gurgle. His silver-streaked hair clung to his shoulders like wet ink.
Emerging naked, water dripping from his hair and pooling on the cold tiles, he noticed a full-length mirror, its edges chipped.
I haven't checked my appearance in this world. I don't even know how I looked before, he thought, locking eyes with his reflection, his metallic grey gaze narrowing as if sizing up a stranger.
The man looking back was tall—6'2", lean but defined, muscles clinging to his frame like they were crafted, not earned. His shoulders were broad, waist narrow, abs sculpted enough to do laundry on. His skin, a light bronze, was unblemished.
His hair, deep black with ashen silver streaks, was messy, shoulder-length, and wild, catching the orb's light in shimmering beads. His eyes, a piercing grey like polished steel, glinting with amusement and apathy. His jawline was carved, lips kinda kissable (not that he'd admit it).
He tilted his head, smirked, and gave himself a playful wink, the mirror humming faintly as if reacting to his presence.
"… Damn, I'd f'ck me," he said, voice low and teasing, echoing off the stone walls.
[You definitely did… back in your old life. Repeatedly.] Zero's voice cut through, sharp and mocking.
"Zero, not now. I'm having a moment," Zeke said, tossing the towel over a chair with a soft thud, shaking droplets from his hair that sparkled in the orb's light.
[Nah, bro, that ego can't go unchecked. You're not even at max potential yet, and you're already one flex away from becoming the villain in someone else's romance arc.] He said with a playful bounce.
"Good. Let them suffer," Zeke shot back, tone dripping with mock menace.
"I wonder how many hearts I've broken in my past life and in this one," he mused, voice trailing off.
[In this life, I can't really tell ya. I could hack your phone, find contacts, messages to get a semblance of your new life. Sorry, man, you got hit with the 'make new memories' blast. But in your old life, you broke a lot of hearts. What'd you expect from a sociopath? Worst thing, you lacked communication skills, yet you bagged girls. Your whole friend group were sociopaths that bagged girls. Cheat codes.] Zero's voice was gleeful.
"Haha, totally can relate," Zeke said, his laugh short and sharp, echoing in the small room.
[You can't. You literally can't. You know you're rude, right?] Zero's tone was exasperated, his tone as if rolling its eyes.
"Bite me," Zeke retorted, grinning as he turned to the wardrobe. The narrow, creaky thing had warped wooden doors and squeaking hinges. Inside, dark, practical clothes hung in a chaotic jumble.
He pulled out a black shirt, soft but worn, and a tracksuit jacket with white stripes. The trousers were loose, comfortable, with a subtle sheen. He slipped them on, the fabric sliding over his skin,the jacket settling over his shoulders.
What? You want to know what boxers he put on.
What's wrong with you?.
"So, how many minutes would it take you to do what you had planned?" Zeke asked, zipping up the jacket with a sharp sound.
[Oh, I already did it. You're a certified loner. You haven't talked to anyone on your phone since you were eighteen, when you finished high school. Classic 'parents died, cashed in insurance, and moved here, Sad story] Zero's voice was mockingly mournful.
"How much did I cash out from the insurance?" Zeke asked, leaning against the wardrobe.
[A hundred thousand American United Dollars. Based on the fact that continents are ruled by one power, and you're in the North American continent where the USA was the leading power, it's easier to take control. With your intelligence, you can understand the rest.] Zero's voice was matter-of-fact.
[That's the case for you guys as well.] Zero added, as if nudging someone unseen.
"Who are you talking to? Wait, hold on, is this a fourth wall break? Wow, hey guys, heyyy!" Zeke spun around, waving his arms dramatically, silver-streaked hair bouncing.
He waved his arms around, trying to get someone's attention.
Not me, is it you?
[Sigh, stop that. Hey, hey, stop that. You're embarrassing yourself.] Zero's voice was exasperated.
"Fuck you," Zeke shot back, grin unrepentant as he dropped his arms. "So, is the hundred thousand AUD good?" He flopped onto the bed, the straw crunching loudly.
[It was enough for you to spend till yesterday. You have 200 AUD in your account. Sorry to tell you, but you're broke.] Zero's voice was blunt.
"Oh, fuck me," Zeke groaned, dragging a hand down his face.
"You're an AI, right? Yeah, you did say that. Get me money however you can. I wanna be a millionaire," he said, voice tinged with sarcasm and desperation.
[I already did it. Mortal cash, as hunters call it, has less value than hunter resources, so stealing it is easyyy. C'mon, praise me!] Zero's voice was gleeful.
"How much did you borrow from the accounts for orphans?" Zeke asked, lips twitching with amusement as he leaned forward, elbows on his knees, the bed creaking.
[I stole it. No need to soften the blow—it's theft. And really, accounts for orphans? I took 200 million AUD. Felt right, a nice figure.] Zero's voice was smug.
"Oh, mighty Zero, let's go eat, let's spend money," Zeke said, grinning wide and reckless as he jumped to his feet, the floor trembling under his immortal weight.
As well as his E rank weight, Stop the glaze.
[Are you planning on leaving the house?] Zero asked, as if raising a skeptical eyebrow.
"Of course. New world, 200 million—who wouldn't leave the house? How am I going to spend it if I don't?" Zeke's voice brimmed with mock indignation as he grabbed his phone from the desk, its scratched screen glinting faintly.
[Yeah, that makes sense. What's the plan?] Zero's voice was curious.
"Eat, buy a new house…" Zeke trailed off, slipping the phone into his pocket, the weight grounding him as he strode toward the door, tracksuit swishing softly.
[RANDOM SKILL GIFTED: MESSI'S LEGENDARY FOOTBALL SKILLS]
The interface flashed brilliant gold, text exploding like a firework, a faint chime rattling the vials on the desk.
[Wow.]
Zero's voice was impressed as well as gloating at the gift.
"And apparently playing football. Hehe, tremble, mortals—the GOAT is about to grace the pitch," Zeke said, striking a dramatic pose, one hand on his hip, the other pointing at the ceiling. The room hummed with his energy.
….
"Hey, what model is this phone?" he asked, pulling it out, thumb brushing its worn edges as he squinted at the screen, its faint glow illuminating his sharp features.
[It's on the lower end.]
Zero's voice was blunt.
"Wow, that's poor. Order the recent model," Zeke said, tossing the phone onto the bed, where it landed with a soft thud on the scratchy blanket.
[Ohhh, bossy. I've also taken the liberty of buying you a house, furnished with cozy bedding, up-to-date gaming equipment, and lifetime plans for paid services.]
Zero's voice smug.
"Someone's doing a good job. Who's a good boy?" Zeke teased, voice dripping with mock affection as he tied his boots, the leather creaking softly.
[…]
[Bro, wtf.] Zero's voice was quarter-laughing, a lot offended.
"Haha, onwards to the best cuisine in the town" Zeke declared, throwing open the door with a dramatic flourish, hinges squealing