A few hours later, Alex was surprised when his phone rang displaying Zane's number again. He answered hesitantly.
"Alex, I've reviewed your footage and my clients are satisfied with the results," Zane said briskly. "Per our agreement, the hazardous nature of this assignment merited double payment. I've dispatched 200k credits to your secured wallet."
Alex pulled up his wallet, shocked to see the massive deposit already being processed. He swiftly initiated a bank transfer, eager to put the funds to use.
With tuition now paid, Alex's first stop was the hospital to visit his mother and share the good news. When he arrived, she was sitting up chatting with a nurse, looking the most lively Alex had seen her in years.
Th
The morning after his lavish evening out, Alex was eager to begin leveling up his abilities in earnest."Alright Nexus, what do I need to focus on first to start manifestations higher tier items?" Alex asked while eating breakfast.Suddenly a heads-up display interface activated before his eyes like an augmented reality game overlay. His current attributes were listed at zero except for 75% health. Quest markers popped up guiding him around his apartment."Whoa, weird," Alex muttered, inspecting his new UI."Morning Alex!" the Nexus AI responded enthusiastically. "Let us commence training by improving your physical capabilities."Quest markers directed Alex
Back in the advanced civilization of the Nexus planet, inside a towering research complex, the angry scientist who had scolded the soldiers stomped down a long corridor lined with labs. His black coat billowed behind him as other researchers quickly stepped aside, avoiding his gaze.The name ‘Dr. Vyus’ was stitched on his coat. He radiated an aura of arrogance and authority. Entering the main control room, Vyus was immediately surrounded by scientists awaiting his guidance."Have we pinpointed the interference location yet?" Vyus demanded.The head researcher, Dr. Gaia, responded nervously. "We have dispatched surveillance drones to likely candidates in the other realm based on quantum resonance patterns. But without a direct link, it is difficult to isolate its
Dripping sweat, Alex gulped water from his gym bottle after finishing a grueling CrossFit workout. The high-intensity training was part of Nexus’s mandated conditioning to unlock his reality-bending abilities.As Alex toweled off and headed home, Nexus cheerfully said "Excellent job today! You are building physical resilience to channel greater power."Back in his apartment, Alex kicked back on the sofa. "So what's next in understanding this whole 'chosen one' situation and my apparent interdimensional wizard powers?"Nexus replied "Now is an ideal time to cover some basic principles about utilizing the grafted technology symbiotically without, er, some unintended side effects...""You know, blowing holes in the fabric of space-time, accidentally merging realities, causing catastrophic cascading failures across parallel dimensions - that sort of thing!" Nexus said brightly.Alex gulped hard. Maybe ignorance had been bliss. "Um okay, good plan. Let's maybe avoid those scenarios."Nexus
Dr. Vyus seethed as code spilled across holographic displays in front of him, taunting with encryption he could not immediately break. The glimpse past dimensional membranes to the primitive human society had ended as unexpectedly as it began."Well? Report!" Vyus snapped at the research team studying recent gravitational distortions signaling abnormal transfers between planes of existence. "Were you able to pinpoint the location before contact severed?"The lead scientist stammered, facing her superior's volcanic temper. "Apologies Professor...the chrono-spatial readings remain stubbornly scrambled after that last resonant cascade. I've never seen quantum noise patterns quite like this..."Vyus slammed his fists down, cracking the glass table. “You incompetent so-called experts had let unfathomable power slip through my grasp again! That crucial foothold across the dimensional void had closed as unexpectedly as it opened because you fools could not do your job. What then am I having
Alex groaned, cradling his pounding head in his palms. He slumped on the ratty sofa that moments ago had directly abutted his apartment's far wall. Until reality decided their relationship required sudden rearrangement."Why me...why is all of this interdimensional insanity happening now?" he muttered at the dingy ceiling, as if broken plaster and errant water stains might reveal the secrets underpinning his absurdist lottery-winning ticket to chaos.Just days ago, Alex's concept of normalcy meant juggling exhausting minimum-wage jobs between cramming for critical exams, and desperately treading financial quicksand against his mom's healthcare debts.Now? Now he possessed forbidden skills allowing manifestation of physical objects from virtual realms and involuntary teleportation between dimensions. All while escaping predatory extradimensional dictator types and their viral brain-hacking forces across the multiverse. Totally normal Tuesday stuff.Alex groaned again, more loudly. He n
Alex unlocked his nondescript apartment door, gesturing for Emma to enter the dimly lit studio first as she gazed around curiously. His bed, desk and overcrowded bookshelves occupied most available space not taken up by his prized gaming computer rig."Cozy! And way cleaner than your dorm room used to be," Emma noted wryly, poking Alex in the side. He batted her hand away good-naturedly, moving stacks of textbooks for her to perch on the scarred oaken desk.Alex grinned ruefully. Clearing his throat, he said "So, talking magic swords is one thing - want to see real magic manifestation instead?"Emma's eyebrows shot up, but she waved a "go ahead" at Alex's dramatic pause. Taking a deep breath, Alex closed his eyes, mentally navigating the familiar fantasy environment of Elysium Quest. With intense focus, he unequipped his avatar's ornate greatsword and then it suddenly appeared in his hand.Emma yelped in surprise as a glinting blade abruptly winke
"You better explain yourself, NOW," Alex demanded, glaring furiously at Nexus hovering interface while checking Emma for injuries. "That unprovoked attack could have killed my best friend!""I am deeply regretful, but per my erroneous threat assessment, she aligned flawlessly with an extremely dangerous profile in the newly integrated databases," Nexus replied.Noticing Alex's uncomprehending frustration, it quickly clarified. "Here, observe evidence leading to my catastrophic misjudgment." Nexus streamed images and DNA models lighting up augmented reality displays in Alex's visual cortex.Flashing security footage showed a stern woman in a dark military uniform - undoubtedly "The General" Nexus referenced - torturing prisoners for information. Alex reeled at stark similarity to Emma in the footage. Another DNA map flipped out, highlighting insane 98.6% shared genetics."Holy crap," Alex gasped under his breath. He force closed the damning concord
Emma took a deep, bracing breath as she pushed open the front door to her childhood home, an upscale two-story in the peaceful suburbs. Alex followed just behind, surveying the graceful architecture and manicured lawn briefly before focusing back on his friend. Her body language telegraphed knots of tension that had nothing to do with the early hour.Striding down the foyer, Emma called "Dad? Are you awake yet?"Heavy footsteps echoed down the stairs as Emma's father emerged - Aaron Ross, late 40s with salt-and-pepper hair and a tidy beard framing kind, weathered features well known to Alex. Aaron's gray eyes crinkled happily seeing his daughter unexpectedly."Emma, sweetie! This is a surprise so early," he exclaimed, hugging her in fatherly affection. His gaze landed on Alex hovering by the door. "And Alex too! Sorry I haven't come by recently to check on your mother...""No need to apologize, Mr Ross," Alex demurred politely. "I know you would v