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Zack slowly opened his eyes, feeling a strange warmth enveloping him. A gentle female voice was softly whispering his name:
??? "Zack... wake up, my dear. You've slept enough..."
The tone was soft, warm—like someone who truly cared for him. For a moment, he felt like everything was okay, as if his past life had been nothing but a bad dream and he was now in a much happier place.
A dumb smile formed on his face as he remained between sleep and wakefulness. He imagined a girl with long black hair, bright eyes gazing at him lovingly, and a beautiful face with a charming smile...
He slowly opened his eyes, the goofy smile still lingering on his face.
Then suddenly, all of it disappeared, and reality came crashing back.
System: "Hahahahahaha!! Oh man, you should've seen your face!! You were grinning like an idiot, like you were in some sappy romance movie!!"
Zack immediately realized the truth. There was no girl. There was no gentle voice. It was all just another trick from this damned system.
He sat up in bed, rubbing his face as he tried to process just how stupid he felt.
Zack: "Screw you, System... Was that really necessary?!"
System: "Absolutely necessary! I have to remind you that you're just a lonely, miserable loser no one cares about! But don't worry, I'm here! And I'll be here forever!"
Zack sighed, trying to ignore the mocking laughter echoing in his head. He got out of bed and stretched a little, but he couldn't stop thinking about that dream.
"The black-haired girl..."
He had no idea who she was, but just hearing her voice made him feel something he hadn't felt in a long time… a strange sense of comfort.
But there was no time to dwell on dreams. A new day had begun, and he knew Gotham showed no mercy to anyone.
Zack let out a deep sigh, running a hand down his face, trying to ignore the system's relentless teasing. He was still embarrassed over that ridiculous dream, but now, a bigger problem was staring him right in the face:
Zack: "Damn it... I don't even have a bathroom in this rundown base! Where the hell am I supposed to shower?!"
System: "Hahaha! Maybe you can shower at the house of that pretty girl you were dreaming about! Who knows? She might be nice enough to let you use her towel too! And do what you always did in front of your computer!"
Zack: "Shut the hell up and just tell me where I can find a bathroom!"
System: "Alright, alright, you idiot. Go upstairs—there's a bathroom you can use, though I doubt it's clean after being abandoned for so long. Oh, and by the way, you do have a map of the base! Why don't you use it, you moron?!"
Zack scratched his head in frustration. Of course, he had a map of the base, but he was still getting used to all these strange features. He quickly pulled up the map and saw that the bathroom was in the corner of the upper floor, near the second bedroom.
Zack (thinking): "Well, at least I won't have to go out searching for a public bathroom… this is better than nothing."
Zack moved toward the bathroom, ignoring the system's mocking laughter still echoing in his mind. The day hadn't even officially started yet, and he already felt his nerves beginning to fray because of this damned system.
He stood in front of the rundown bathroom, staring at the cracked tiles, the dirty walls, and the rusted faucet that could barely be called a "water source." He slowly pushed the door open, hoping for a better situation inside—but he quickly realized he was expecting too much.
Zack (yelling in frustration): "Daaamn it! What the hell is this crap?! There's not even any water! Are you kidding me?!"
System (in a deliberately calm, annoying tone): "Wow, do you think yelling will magically make water start flowing out of nowhere? What a genius!"
Zack: "You damn bastard, what am I supposed to do now?! I can't live like this!"
System (with a fake sigh): "You idiot, didn't I tell you that you have a base upgrade feature? Just open the tab in your stats, and you'll find the available options."
Zack took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to break something. He opened the stats menu as the system had suggested, and there, he found the "Base Upgrades" tab. Sure enough, there was an option to upgrade the bathroom—but he nearly fainted when he saw the prices:
5-Star Bathroom – $200,000
Luxury Bathroom – $50,000
Functional Bathroom with Hot Water – $10,000
Basic Bathroom – $2,000
Zack quickly checked his current balance:
Current funds: $350
He let out a deep sigh, closed the screen, and covered his face with his hands for a moment.
Zack: "Screw you, System… You were hoping I'd try to upgrade it, weren't you?!"
System (mockingly laughing): "Oh, of course not! I just wanted to see your face when you realized the truth! What a glorious moment!"
Zack (sighing): "I have no choice but to find a public bath… And I'll also need some clean clothes. This place won't work for me right now."
System: "A wise decision, you broke loser. But don't forget, don't waste all your money—life in Gotham isn't cheap!"
Taking a deep breath, Zack left the base, heading toward the nearest cheap clothing store and public bath he could find, trying not to dwell too much on his miserable situation.
Zack arrived at the nearest bargain clothing store in Gotham—a small, dimly lit shop with a faint scent of dust, where clothes were haphazardly piled on shelves and tables. He walked in quietly and began browsing through the available options, while the system wasted no time in mocking him.
System (mockingly): "Ah, Gotham in all its glory! This store reeks of poverty—what a luxurious place, perfectly suited for you!"
Zack (ignoring him): "I'm here to buy clothes, not to listen to your dumb philosophy."
Zack started looking for clothes that suited him, but he wasn't sure what to pick.
System: "Alright, fashion failure, let me help you out a bit. We need something practical, comfortable, and durable enough so it doesn't tear apart with the first punch you take."
Zack: "Thanks for the reminder, you damn bastard."
After a quick search, Zack ended up buying:
Black Cap – ($20)
To cover his head and conceal his features a bit, especially when carrying out dangerous operations.
Black Short-Sleeved Sports Shirt – ($40)
Made of breathable fabric, lightweight, and perfect for quick movement.
Durable Black Sports Pants – ($50)
Flexible enough for running and fighting, with practical side pockets.
High-Quality Sports Shoes – ($100)
Provides good stability in combat and is light enough for fast movement.
Total Amount Spent: $210
Remaining Balance: $140
System (chuckling): "Wow, finally! You actually look like someone who can fight instead of a lost hobo wandering the streets."
Zack (sighing): "Great... Now, off to the public bath before you start mocking my smell too."
System: "Too late, I was just about to!"
With a sarcastic smile from the system and an exhausted sigh from Zack, he left the store, heading to the nearest public bath.
Zack made his way to the public bath after his little shopping trip. He entered the building, which was a bit old but clean enough to get the job done. After paying the entrance fee, he headed to one of the stalls, took off his clothes, and stepped under the hot water, letting it wash over him as he sighed in relief after a long day of running and fighting.
Zack (quietly under the hot water): "Finally, a moment of peace..."
But, as always, the system wouldn't leave him alone.
System (in a sarcastic yet calm tone): "Alright, enjoy your bath, but remember something important..."
Zack (hesitant): "What now?"
System (in a warning tone): "Whatever you do, do NOT look at the banana."
Zack (raising an eyebrow in confusion): "What banana?"
Suddenly, the system screamed loudly inside Zack's mind, making him jump in place.
System (shouting in panic): "YOUR banana, you idiot! Don't look at YOUR banana! I'm a man too, damn it!"
At that moment, a mischievous grin spread across Zack's face as he decided to take this chance to get revenge on the system for all its past mockery.
Zack (in a teasing voice, lowering his head slightly): "Oh, my turn now..."
And he deliberately looked down, causing the system to enter a state of pure horror and absolute shock.
System (screaming in terror): "Aaaaaah! Nooooo! Why did you do that?! I'm traumatized now! I may be just an electronic consciousness, but this… this is too much! Oh my god, I'll never be able to sleep again! Wait… I don't even sleep! But if I did, I'd have nightmares for weeks!"
Zack (laughing wickedly, enjoying the system's suffering): "Hah, you deserved that. Now you know how it feels when someone messes with you."
The system continued to cry dramatically inside Zack's mind while he finished his shower, feeling a small but satisfying sense of revenge. After putting on his new clothes, he left the bathhouse with a victorious smile, while the system was still struggling with its "trauma."
As Zack walked down the street, feeling refreshed after his shower, the mischievous grin still lingered on his face. Meanwhile, the system was still sobbing heavily in his head as if it had just gone through the worst shock of its life.
System (crying dramatically): "Why, Zack? Why? I was just an innocent system, living my life, and then suddenly… BAM! A disaster! I saw something I was never meant to see! My innocence is gone forever! But at least… you haven't lost your virginity."
Zack (laughing as he puts his hands in his pockets): "Ah, quit the drama, you'll live."
System (sniffling like a small child): "I'm pretty sure I won't live a normal life after this… But, since you made me suffer, I'll make your life harder too!"
Zack (raising an eyebrow cautiously): "What do you mean?"
Suddenly, a system screen appeared in front of him, displaying a new list of available quests.
New Quests:
Discover an interesting new area
Rewards: 250 XP & $75
Stop a robbery in the city
Rewards: 400 XP & $150
New Combat Challenge: Win a fight without using weapons
Rewards: 600 XP & $200
Daily Quest: Exercise routine (50 push-ups - 50 sit-ups - 2 km run)
Rewards: 300 XP & $100 (This quest is mandatory!)
System (laughing evilly): "Hahaha! You can't refuse the daily quest, my friend! It's mandatory! You have to exercise every day, or else..."
Zack (sighing as he reads the list): "Oh, damn… This is ridiculous."
System (mockingly): "No, this isn't ridiculous. This is… a generous offer!"
Zack looked at the list again, trying to ignore the system, then began thinking about which mission to tackle first.
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If you liked the story and want to read more
or just to support me, copy the link below.
You will find a special membership for:
3 chapter
and another one for:
7 chapters.
patreon.com/zakx205
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