Morning arrived at Heroes on Aisle 3 with the usual buzzing lights and the quiet hum of refrigeration units that sounded like they were judging everyone.
Bella stood behind the counter, posture sharp, eyes scanning the entrance like a commander awaiting inspection. Every few seconds, she glanced at the clock.
Nyx leaned against a shelf stacked with instant noodles, phone already recording. The red dot blinked softly.
"Documentation log, Day 17," Nyx whispered dramatically. "Subject: Bella. Current behavior: pacing. Threat level: medium."
Bella stopped. "Are you filming me?"
Nyx smiled without looking up. "Not filming. Documenting."
Bella sighed and turned back to the register, muttering something about privacy laws that nobody listened to.
At the snack aisle, Vario struggled with a box clearly labeled FRAGILE. It tore open anyway, spilling candy bars across the floor.
"I swear," Vario groaned, crouching to pick them up, "these boxes sense fear."
Nyx slowly panned the camera toward him. "Addendum: Vario versus gravity. Gravity winning."
"Turn that off," Vario said.
Nyx zoomed in.
Meanwhile, Yuwen sat near the magazine rack, completely absorbed in a thick book he'd found during restocking. His eyes sparkled with intense curiosity, flipping pages faster and faster, oblivious to everything else around him.
The automatic doors slammed open. A gust of wind and the bell's chime announced the arrival of someone new.
Everyone froze.
A short, broad-shouldered figure filled the doorway. Braided beard, armor-like apron, and eyes that could crush mountains.
"THIS THE STORE?" the man barked.
Vario slowly turned. "Please tell me you're not here to fight."
The man slammed a massive axe onto the floor.
"I'M HERE TO WORK."
Bella blinked. "You brought a weapon… to a convenience store?"
"It's emotional support," he said instantly.
Nyx's camera zoomed. "Subject: Gallo. Immediate hazard: extreme."
Garruk walked over, clipboard in hand. "You're… Gallo?"
"Aye."
"You can't bring an axe inside."
Gallo's glare could have shattered glass. "Then how do I deal with thieves?"
"We call security," Vario said.
"…Weak," Gallo muttered.
Bella handed him a name tag. HELLO, MY NAME IS GALLO.
Gallo squinted. "This magic seal binds me?"
"Yes," Bella said flatly. "Forever."
Nyx whispered into the camera. "This is going to be the best shift ever."
Vario sighed nervously. Something told him that tomorrow, Aisle 3 would never be the same.
The morning after Gallo's arrival, the convenience store felt… different. The hum of the refrigerators seemed louder, the flickering fluorescent lights sharper, and the shelves somehow more intimidating.
Bella stood in the middle of the store, fists clenched, ready. Gallo towered beside her, arms crossed, his massive frame barely fitting between the aisles.
"Today," Gallo said, voice booming, "you learn to fight like a hero."
Bella raised an eyebrow. "In the convenience store?"
"Space is irrelevant," Gallo replied. "The skill is eternal."
Vario peeked from behind a stack of cereal boxes. "I'm… going to work somewhere else today."
Nyx, already holding her tablet like a battle correspondent, whispered to herself, "Day one of the Bella-Gallo training saga. This will be historic."
The training began. Bella dodged and weaved around stacks of chips and soda cans while Gallo swung a training axe made of foam.
"Focus!" he barked. "Your reflexes must be sharper than a candy wrapper cut!"
Bella rolled her eyes but leapt over a toppled basket of ramen. "This is ridiculous!"
Gallo caught her mid-spin with one hand and placed her back on the floor gently. "Precision, Bella. Every movement counts."
Nyx narrated dramatically as if they were filming a national sports event. "Observe, the Bella, nimble and fierce, now facing the legendary dwarf berserker, Gallo the Unstoppable. Can she survive aisle five?"
Meanwhile, Vario tried to restock items without being hit by flying foam axes, muttering under his breath, "I didn't sign up for combat sports in the snack aisle…"
After an hour of running, dodging, and accidentally knocking over a display of energy drinks, Bella flopped on the floor.
"Alright, alright," she gasped. "I admit it. You're strong. But do we really need to train in a store full of breakables?"
Gallo smiled faintly, sheathing his foam axe. "The real world is full of obstacles, Bella. If you can handle this, you can handle anything."
Nyx, still filming, grinned. "Day one, and already chaos. Perfect content."
Bella glared at the camera, wiping sweat from her brow. "I swear, if this video gets uploaded, I'm haunting you forever."
Gallo chuckled. "Then you'll have mastered fear as well."
Somewhere near the snack aisle, a can of soda toppled on its own. No one noticed.
The training continued, the convenience store echoing with laughter, grunts, and the occasional crash.
Tomorrow, Bella would be stronger.
And Aisle 3 would survive… probably.