Stepping out of the shower, I grabbed a towel from the nearby rack and began drying off.
As I tousled my hair with the towel, I walked over to the mirror and the vanity.
I still can't get over my new appearance.
A well-defined, fit body—muscles shaped as if they'd been sculpted with intention and precision. I traced the lines of my muscles with my fingers and then flexed a little.
"Wooou."
I whistled at myself—definitely enjoying this a little too much, I hadn't looked like this since my 20s.
Shaking my head, I picked up the card from the vanity and thought of wearing black sweatpants and a gray hoodie. The card pulsed once in my hand, then shifted and transformed into the outfit I pictured.
This shit's too cool… and comfortable.
I looked at myself in the mirror again, feeling like I was missing something.
Right—my hair. I needed something to tie it up. Glancing down at my clothes, I whispered,
"Um… hey, can you make a hair tie?"
A faint movement stirred from my chest, sliding down my arm and into my hand. When it stopped, a simple black band rested on my palm.
"Haha, sweet!"
I gathered my hair and pulled it into a messy bun, then nodded appreciatively at my reflection before turning to head back into my room.
Walking into my room, I fully take in its appearance. It's very spacious, with a lot of room to move around.
There's a small table to the right of the bathroom doorframe, and the TV remote I placed there earlier is still sitting on it.
Black silk sheets cover my bed, that's over in the corner to the far right of the room with a nightstand beside it.
Two couches sit facing the TV, with a triangular shaped coffee table placed neatly in front of them.
Across from my bed is a walk-in closet, now fully stocked with clothes—not that I'd really need them anymore, I thought as I patted my chest.
Glancing around again something caught my attention.
Umm… is that a fridge?
A large silver box sits in the opposite corner from the bed—definitely new. There's cabinets and countertops built in around it, forming a mini kitchen area.
As I walk closer, a smile creeps onto my face. I pull the door open.
Inside, there are neatly arranged cubes of meat and cheese, assorted fruits, and around fifteen bottles of wine—most of which I don't recognize. But I spot a sweet red among them, so I grab that along with a small tray of meat and cheese.
I happily skip over to the couch, completely forgetting my worries.
I sit down and get comfortable. Picking up the wine in my left hand I took off the lid, took a sip, then reach for the TV remote…
Hmm…
I look over to my to my side, no remote, coffee table? not there either… I looked over my shoulder behind me and…
FUCK.
Annoyed, I get back up, walk to the small table by the bathroom, swipe the remote, and flop back down onto the couch with a huff.
Getting comfortable again, I turn on the TV and toss a cube of meat and cheese into my mouth, washing it down with some wine.
The TV flickers on, and it seems to be a news channel.
A female reporter with light pink skin, ash-colored hair, and amber eyes stands with a microphone, her expression serious.
"Sori'eth broadcast seven—un'kai vel'shar."
The newscaster stands stiffly before a massive cathedral-like structure, its spires fractured and humming with unstable energy. Her expression is grim, her voice steady but tense.
"Lethar'voss kai'thurin ven'drala. Sektor Avalesh, tal'vuu ren-shakar."
A low rumble echoes behind her as emergency UFOs sweep through the sky and hover above the cathedral.
My jaw drops.
…What the fuck?! That's real??
My full attention locks onto the TV, the food and wine completely forgotten.
"Tori'en vashtar suu'kelin. Re'voth kal'resh var'kai—mali'thun sha'vorr."
The camera pans briefly over scorched stone and drifting motes of shattered light.
Shit. I can't understand a word she's saying.
"En'thera sol'kai ved'rashu. Tal'morin ush'veth—ron'kai vel'sheth."
My ears twitch and tingle as I strain to understand her, odd sounding syllables start to fade like a whisper as my ears buzz and the language barrier starts to fade.
"En'thera sol'kai ved'rashu. Tal'morin ush'veth—failure in the sacred core has been verified. Its origin is still unknown."
The caster presses her earpiece, her expression tightening.
My pulse quickens as i'm fully immersed.
What's gonna happen?!
"Breaking update: several high-ranking clergy remain unaccounted for. Their fates are still unknown."
A barrier of shimmering gold rises behind her, sealing off part of the cathedral.
Is that a fuckin force field??!
HOLY SHEEIT!
"Security forces have initiated a full lockdown. All civilian access has been suspended indefinitely."
Her gaze sharpens, and her tone drops even lower.
"Officials urge to remain calm but warn that the situation may escalate if the source of the breach is not neutralized."
A distant boom vibrates through the air; the caster doesn't flinch.
"We will continue to observe the cathedral and issue updates as they become available. This has been Sori'eth, Broadcast Seven. Good night."
The station cuts to commercials, but I stay frozen on the couch, jaw still hanging open, cold chills slithering over me like snakes and eyes buzzing with anticipation.
Fuckin' crazy.
Like—holy hell, what the fuck.
Are other places like that too?
I blink hard, finally snapping out of it, and reach for the remote that had slipped from my hand during my complete immersion.
With a mix of dread and excitement twisting in my gut, I start flipping through channels, pausing whenever something catches my attention before moving on.
I ate and drank while I crossed more channels covering all sorts of topics—holy religious worlds, futuristic sci-fi civilizations, treacherous terrains with warnings not to explore, governments broadcasting to their citizens, and so much more.
But the one that stands out the most has to be the cultivation universe. Since when do they use technology?? I'm not complaining—their special series, "Face Slaps of the Century," is very enjoyable.
Heheh… arrogant young masters being brought down a peg just feels good. And when they call for backup—just thinking about it makes me wanna—
"PFT—HAHAHA! I can't believe people really act like that!"
Still… being the one dishing out the face slaps must feel pretty good. Hmm, if I get the chance one day…
"Hehehe."
An eerie, excited giggle spills from my lips at the thought.
That might be fun.
YAWN
I looked over to my bed.
"Guess it's time to try out my new bed."
I picked up the remote and turned the TV off. Feeling a little excited, I made my way over to my bed.
I peeled back the covers and slipped in.
"Ouuu"
A soft sound of satisfaction left my lips as I relaxed into the bed. It felt like I was lying on a cloud—perfectly soft and warm, reminding me of those mornings when I woke up too early and slipped back under the covers for an extra thirty minutes of sleep before work.
This is good
Was my last thought as sleep claimed me.
…
Meanwhile, in another part of the residence, Heaven looked down at a workshop table covered with an assortment of materials.
Exotic metals, shimmering crystals, and other unfamiliar substances lay before her.
"Fufu, I think he'll like this gift. Let's get to work."
The objects on the table lifted into the air. The materials began to break apart into smaller pieces, and under her precise control, they layered and fused together, one upon another.
After a few minutes, a small five-by-five-inch cube of gold, gray, and crimson rested on the table in front of her.
"Now for the finishing touches."
Heaven brought the index and middle fingers of her right hand to her chest and tapped once.
A small, spherical, multicolored, translucent orb of energy formed above her fingers as she pulled them away.
Looking back down at the cube, she turned her hand outward and flicked the energy toward it.
The reaction was instantaneous. The cube began to glow and shift—its color turning into a soft, translucent white with a multicolored iridescence. Its size shrank as well, now no bigger than a one-inch cube.
"Andddd… done!"
Nodding to herself and dusting off her hands, she picked up the cube and inspected it.
"No problems, as expected of me. Hehe!"
With a swipe of her hand, the cube disappeared. She turned away from the table and made her way to the door.
"Hmmm… I'll give it to him tomorrow. The sooner, the better."
As she stepped out, the door shut with a soft click, then vanished into the wall as if the room had never existed.