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2024-10-29 19:42:56The key turns with a soft click, and the apartment door swings inward. Celeste's silhouette fills the hallway and Zack can't help but look at his older cousin.
Celeste, Zack's 28-year-old cousin, lives with him in an apartment. She is a lead manager in an international company and has just returned from her shift. Her eyes are ringed with exhaustion.
She must have felt his stare because she raises her head and greets, "Evening, Zack."
"Hey, Celeste. Rough day?"
She gives him a half-shrug, her gaze skirting away from him. "Isn't it always?"
She then drops her keys into a bowl by the door, shedding her blazer and placing it on the back of the couch before sitting beside him.
"Want to talk about it?" Zack ventures, already knowing the answer.
"Maybe some other time," she deflects.
She unbuttons the top of her shirt and closes her eyes, as if her everyday is as hard as his day is.
"By the way, Mason is asking if he can visit, after all his exams," he tentatively asks.
"Hmmm," she mutters. "Is he still in college? He's the same age as you, right?"
Zack feels a pang. Here he is, who is not even in school and will probably stay as a convenience store worker forever.
"So, can he visit?"
"Only him? Or with other young women? I don't want a rowdy party here."
"Only him," he says. Celeste knows how popular Mason can be. "But he asked if you could join our little party."
"He can come, but I can’t join," is the quick reply. She looks at him with a scowl. "You know I am always busy."
But she's not. Every time she is in the apartment, all she does is stare at nothing, thinking of something that he's not privy of.
She takes a deep breath and stands up. She moves towards her room, her steps heavy with exhaustion.
"Mason will bring in snacks and drinks," Zack calls after her, but she has already disappeared behind her sanctuary. "I also prepared dinner," he adds.
Zack exhales. Mason will be disappointed. He stands up to clean up and then, maybe later, he can play some games.
*****************Once all his tasks are done for the day, Zack sits in front of the television and powers up the console in the living room. The familiar chime sounds and the screen flickers to life revealing the title screen "The Chronicles."
Zack's avatar — a rugged looking knight stands in the middle of a forest, clad in gleaming cobalt armor. It wields the legendary blade, said to contain the essence of a fallen star.
His fingers dance over the controller, a smile tugging at his lips as he navigates the enchanted forests.
"Time to take down the Shadow Dragon," he whispers as his avatar charges into a cavernous lair.
"Come on you overgrown lizard!" he taunts.
His fingers expertly guide his avatar in a dance of slashes and parries. The battle is intense, demanding every ounce of his focus. In this virtual world, he is a hero, powerful and fearless.
Just a little more, and it will be done. There is no need for him to use an HP potion even if his HP will be depleted in just a single hit from the dragon. One more combo and—
"If only you have that same concentration on other aspects of your life, you won't stay as a convenience store worker forever, you know."
Zack jumps at Celeste's voice, his finger slips and a hit from the dragon enters his defenses, and then, a 'You Lose' appears on the screen.
He turns sharply towards Celeste and sees her looking at the screen. Her hand is on her waist while her other hand is holding a bottle of water. She's wearing skimpy shorts and a very loose shirt. Her hair is messily done in a bun. He wonders if Mason digs these types of women. Elegant when outside the house, but shabby while inside the house.
"What?" she asks, sensing his eyes on her. "It's just a game. It's okay to lose there if you are winning in real life."
Zack snorts. Only people like her can say that. Twenty-eight and she is already successful. That is why, she doesn't notice that her words come off as harsh to him.
"What do you want?" he asks. He can't really get angry at her. She owns the apartment, pays the bills, and even the majority — or maybe all — of the grocery comes from her.
"Well, the sink is full of ants. You might have not cleaned it properly earlier."
And he is also, currently, her servant in the house, in exchange for everything that she provides.
"I will clean it up."
"Hmmm, okay, don't stay up too late."
"I will lower the volume down."
"Just be aware of the electricity bill."
"Alright."
"Also, your brain cells will die if you continue staying up late. And I'm pretty sure you still need them, given your current situation."
Zack looks away, so that his cousin won't see his annoyance. He can't really see how Mason will like this kind of woman, when other sensitive young women are running after him.
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As Zack waits for customers, his eyes land on the screen of a muted television mounted in the corner. A news anchor is interviewing a man who’d risen from obscurity to tech stardom.The man sits confidently in a plush armchair, his posture exuding success and power. His designer suit fit his toned frame perfectly, and his expensive watch glints in the studio lights. His face is smooth and clean-shaven, with perfect teeth and a strong jawline. He looks like the epitome of a successful man.Zack moves to it and turns the volume up.The man speaks with a clear and articulate voice, his words precise and calculated. He speaks of terms like “disruptive technology” and “market domination” with ease. The interviewer’s questions are met with quick responses and occasional bursts of laughter, showcasing the man’s charismatic personality. In the background, there is the sound of applause from the audience, indicating the level of admiration for the rising tech star.“Oh, that’s Mr. Leon. He’s pr
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Zack is in the kitchen, chopping vegetables for dinner while Celeste works on her laptop at the dining table. The aroma of sizzling stir-fry fills the air, making his stomach growl in anticipation.Suddenly, there’s a knock on the door. Zack looks up from his cutting board and glances at the wall clock — it’s only 7:30. Mason is early.But before he can take a towel to wipe his hands, Celeste stands up and says, “It’s just Mason, right? I will get it.”He hears her footsteps approaching the door. He then hears Mason’s charming voice greeting Celeste as she opens the door. “Hey beautiful,” he says with a smile.Zack rolls his eyes and focuses on tossing the vegetables into the pan. He can hear them talking in the living room, but Celeste is deadpan, making it clear that she’s not interested in him.Mason saunters into the kitchen, carrying a few grocery bags, while Celeste returns to her work.“Hey, man!” he greets with a wide smile. “I brought some snacks and beers. Some food for break
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Zack scans another bag of off-brand potato chips, while his mind is on Mason’s mood last night and the following morning.“Two seventy-nine,” Zack murmurs, without looking up at the customer.There is music of some famous artist singing in the background. The song might be well-received by QuickFix customers, but not him. It sounds like an ode while he is on his way to purgatory.He groans, shaking his head with all his thoughts.The chime above QuickFix’s entrance resounds again and Zack raises his head towards it. Four men saunter in and he feels anxious at the way they look. He glances at the back of the shop and realizes that the manager is out to have a quick supply run.“Hello there, cashier boy,” the largest of them greets. He has a grin that doesn’t reach his cold eyes. He is also sporting a scar that runs like a fault line across his cheek.“Good day! Welcome to QuickFix! How can I help you today?” he asks, glancing at his companions who are less intimidating but are also exud
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“You are a fucking disgrace!” Zack’s boss scolds him again a day after the robbing event. “Can’t you even handle a few lowlifes without making a mess of my store!?!”Zack purses his lips and wishes that his boss’ voice cannot be heard outside. Thankfully, when he came home last night, Celeste was still out and when he left for work, she was still sleeping. Hopefully, that setup will continue until his wounds heal.“Just one more mistake, and I will fire you!”Zack nods, checking his emotions, and ensures that he won’t make that mistake very soon.“For all these damages, I will take them off your salary!”Zack raises his head at him. He can’t do that! He needs the money for his sisters’ educational needs. That’s the reason he stopped studying. If they deduct every damage that happens in the store from his salary, then he will never earn a dime! Dropping out of college will be useless!“But sir, my monthly salary cannot even cover for all the damages yesterday.”“Then I will take it from
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It is a hot day as Zack lies on his bed and stares at the ceiling, doing and thinking nothing. Suddenly, his phone buzzes. He automatically picks it up, thinking that it’s Mason, and starts the call.“Mason?”“Brother? Zack?” she starts, her voice trembling. It is his sister, Trina.“Hi, Trina, how are you?” he asks.“Zack, thank god! I finally reached you!”He scratches his head. For the past few days, he is not answering any calls from them. He knows what they want — more money. And it is something he doesn’t have. He doesn’t even know how to survive the following weeks. He tried to look for work, but none were asking him to come for an interview.“Zack, are you still there?” she asks.“Yes, I am still here.”“My tuition is due, and if it’s unpaid, I won’t be able to graduate.”His gaze sweeps across his tiny room. What can he even do? He can’t even fend for himself.“The fees are due next week, Zack,” she continues, her voice filled with desperation. “If I don’t pay, I can’t take my
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Then Zack notices something else as well. At the man’s head, there are small horns protruding from his forehead. No, not just any horns. They are black and twisted and seem to pulse with an otherworldly energy.And so he grips his katana tighter, trying to steady his trembling hands. He knows that this will not be an easy fight, but he also knows that he cannot back down either.“What are you?” Zack manages to ask, his voice shaking slightly.The dark mage chuckles. “I am a human and a dark mage,” he declares proudly. “I think you know that by now, given how you are looking at me.”“Then… how are you affiliated with the loan agency?!”“Ah, that? Well, I get my fresh supplies of humans to experiment on from them.”“What kind of experiments?” Zack demands, his grip on his katana tightening even more.The dark mage chuckles, a sinister gleam in his eyes.
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Zack steps inside. The place behind the fourth door is dark and musty, with only a small beam of light shining through a crack in the ceiling. In front of him is an old man who seems lost and is looking around.The instant Zack enters, he looks at him.“A young man,” he remarks. “Care to tell me where I am and who you are?”“I am sent to destroy a loan shark agency,” he admits.“Oh,” the old man says, looking up at him. “So, you’re here to defeat me.”“You?”“Are you hesitating because of my age?”Zack swallows. He doesn’t want a repeat of the zombie dungeon. He doesn’t enjoy hurting the elders.While he is hesitating, the old man takes his stance and prepares for battle.“I really—”Suddenly, the old man moves surprisingly fast for someone his age. He launches punches and kicks towards Zack. Thankfully, he has a Quick Dodge, and he is able to evade each surprise attack.“You’re good,” the old man comments as they circle each other. “But can you keep up?”Their movements become faster
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Zack opens the Zenith system interface. He presses on the Level Up? text and sees that he only gained one level from completing the first floor. He also only earned eight chests and a hundred thousand zeniths. It feels weird. This is a loan agency, and he is earning fewer zeniths than the zombie dungeon? So, he proceeds to open the items instead, hoping that there are some good items in there. However, there are only four health potions, one ability point, and the rest are zeniths. Disappointed, he stands up. He searches for the staircase and ascends it. He pushes the door open and is met with a line of goons on the second floor. Zack swallows hard. Unlike the goons on the first floor. These people are tall and very muscular. They look as if every single one of them is a VIP bodyguard. He won’t even be surprised if they are using guns. On the other hand, he has the same strength as the first floor. He hasn’t moved his available skill points into his stats yet. Hopefully, they only
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Zack heaves as he wipes the sweat off his forehead. He doesn’t know how many hours have passed since he pressed that YES prompt to continue defeating zombies. Thankfully, when he increased his Luck to 10. There are no more zombies of babies and young kids that appeared. He glances at the notifications in front of him. There are ten prompts about chests that are almost obscuring his vision. Earlier, he was making count of how often these chests appear and he realized that for a group of ten defeated zombies, there is a chance for at least one chest to appear. Then another notification appears about his Low health. Now, he’s on 5/100, almost dying. Instead of pressing the Level Up? text screen. He starts opening the chests instead, hoping that it contains one or two potions. Besides, potions in the shop are too expensive for him. One health potion in particular is around 200,000 zeniths. A longsword costs two million, while a katana amounts to four million zeniths! After opening the t
