*In the realm of the dead, I remain an eternal outsider.*
A confined space, its walls tainted with mold, silently narrated a tale of abandonment. A forsaken washing machine huddled in one corner, near a sink brimming with unwashed dishes. The air was heavy with the odor of mildew, stale garments, and the remnants of instant noodles. Discarded noodle cups were strewn across the floor, adding to the disarray.
Amidst this filth, a man was sprawled on a bed, the stains on it bearing testimony to his existence. His raven hair was disheveled, and a scruffy beard outlined his face. He was garbed in a threadbare red shirt and black shorts.
"THUD!"
"THUD!"
"THUD!"
The harsh rhythm of someone hammering on the door echoed through the room. Outside stood a man, impeccably attired in a blue shirt, his hair neatly combed, and spectacles resting on his nose.
He persisted, his voice reverberating through the hallway, "Arlo, open up!"
"Are you dead, Arlo? Pay your rent, then you can die for all I care, you bastard."
"THUD!" "THUD!"
"Damn it, Arlo, open up or I'll shatter this door."
The relentless pounding and shouting persisted for several minutes until finally, the door groaned open. Arlo, who had been in slumber just moments ago, stood there, his eyes devoid of life.
Facing the man, known as Remi, Arlo sighed in exasperation, "Enough with the noise, Remi."
Remi, unfazed as if this were routine, shot back, "What took you so long? I was on the verge of breaking in."
Arlo, retreating to his bed, retorted sarcastically, "It's your door. Feel free to shatter it."
Remi smirked, "If I had, I would have added the repair cost to your rent."
Arlo, puzzled, asked, "This month's rent? How many times do I have to pay in a month?"
Remi chuckled, "Arlo, today is the third day of the month. Just admit you can't pay the rent. And learn to lie convincingly. You're terrible at it."
Arlo, growing irate, snapped, "What nonsense are you spouting? I settled the rent four weeks ago."
Remi replied, "Yeah, that's how many weeks are in a month. Today is a new month. I don't know what I'm going to do with you. Huh!"
Remi paused, then proposed, "How about this, Arlo? If you can tell me the current month, I won't ask for this month's rent. In fact, I'll give you a two-month break. Deal?"
"Haha…" Arlo laughed mockingly, "Easy bet. It's April…"
Remi sighed, and Arlo quickly corrected himself, "You thought I'd say April, but it's actually May, right?"
"No, Arlo. It's June. And today is your birthday," Remi corrected him.
Arlo seemed unfazed by this revelation. As Remi began discussing Arlo's health and a new job offer he had for him, Arlo rummaged under his bed and around the sink, gathering cash from various hiding spots, including empty noodle cups.
He handed the money to Remi, then ushered him out of the room. As he waved goodbye and began to close the door, Remi resisted and pushed it to prevent it from closing.
Arlo, growing impatient, snapped, "Bastard, I've paid you. Now leave."
Remi, still pushing the door, pleaded, "Listen, Arlo, let me finish."
As they both pushed against the door, it began to creak ominously. With one final push, the top half of the door broke off, hitting Arlo in the face.
Remi chuckled at the sight, while Arlo, nursing his face, grumbled, "I don't have time for this. I need to get to work."
As he walked down the hallway, he passed three other rooms, all missing doors. It was clear that he was the only occupant in the dilapidated building.
Remi called after him, "My parents want to see you for dinner tonight. Do it for them, at least."
Arlo turned back and replied, "I know what you want to discuss. Go ahead, sell this place. I have no say in it anyway."
With that, he returned to his room, grabbed his headphones, and declared, "This is all I need. I won't be coming back. Thanks for everything."
Remi stood there, speechless, as Arlo left the building.
Arlo's dwelling was a two-story structure, its facade adorned with a rusty red hue. He was its sole inhabitant, his home standing amidst heaps of debris.
The cacophony of machinery demolishing buildings echoed as he strolled down the street. Skyscrapers loomed in the distance. Tents were scattered along the streets, and as he sauntered past, some inhabitants greeted him with a wave. He chose to remain aloof, donning his headphones as a barrier to interaction, even though they were disconnected.
After a considerable walk, during which he paid no heed to the people around him, he reached the Jay Voidstone mining site. The site was characterized by two colossal structures standing in parallel.
'Voidstone' was the pinnacle of human discovery.
In the past, there was a palpable tension between mage users and non-mages. Voidstone was exclusively used by mages as a Magic Augment Stone to amplify their magical prowess. However, innovators found that voidstone could be harnessed to fabricate advanced technological machinery. Voidstone possessed the ability to resist heat, water, conduct energy, and it was impervious to corrosion.
Mages and innovators vied for this void stone. Whenever a new dungeon was discovered, they raced to clear the dungeon first to gain complete control over it.
Arlo was employed in one of these cleared dungeons, where Voidstone was mined.
Upon entering the factory, Arlo noticed a group of workers clad in similar blue attire. As they engaged in conversation, Arlo chose to sit in solitude in a corner.
One of the workers said, "Did you hear? The Endrick family finally sold their land."
Another chimed in, "I heard Arlo was residing there. What's his fate now?"
Another one grinned, "Who knows? It seems another tent is going to join us."
They all laughed in mockery, assuming Arlo was engrossed in music through his headphones and oblivious to their conversation, but he heard every word.
As their chatter continued, one of them dropped a remark that caught Arlo's attention.
"Did you guys catch the news? They've created the first Mage Cyber."
Arlo looked at them, puzzled, and as they noticed, they wondered if he had heard them.
Suddenly, a loud siren blared, prompting the workers to move to the right side of the building, leaving Arlo behind.
After a few moments, a second siren sounded, and Arlo rose, heading towards the left side of the building. At the entrance, a signboard read,
"Mining Area, Only Cybers are allowed inside."
As he approached the dungeon entrance and stepped inside, he picked up a hefty bag, a pickaxe, and a helmet equipped with a light.
He noticed one of the workers, dressed in a blue outfit, a yellow safety coat, and a protective helmet, holding a screen tablet at the entrance. The worker warned,
"Arlo, don't cause trouble for the Cybers, keep your distance."
As he ventured into the dungeon, darkness swiftly enveloped him. He switched on his helmet light and heard the sound of digging.
Suddenly, a series of lights illuminated the cave, revealing nearly a hundred sturdy brown cyber robots standing tall. Their LED lights shone brightly as they held pickaxes, mining the Voidstone.
It was evident at first glance that he was the only human laboring in the entire dungeon.
The sight of them filled him with rage. He slowly navigated past them as they mined.
He soon located a spot where only one or two Cybers were present and began to mine.
"BOOM!"
Within minutes, a thunderous explosion reverberated through the dungeon, startling him.
"BOOM!"
Suddenly, a rumbling noise approached him from the entrance. He saw a swarm of Cybers rushing towards him, with the dungeon collapsing in their wake.
He sprinted deeper into the dungeon as the collapse pursued him.
"BOOM!"
An unexpected explosion erupted before him, and the path ahead also started to crumble.
Suddenly, rocks from above collided and descended upon him.
"AHH... AHHH..."
The sound of the cave collapsing drowned out his cries of pain as his leg was crushed when he attempted to leap before the collision.
Unable to bear the pain, he screamed, gradually losing consciousness due to severe blood loss. He noticed a few crushed Cybers beside him.
The sight of them made him clench his fist and seethe, "I refuse to die beside Cybers."
He began to crawl slowly, leaving a trail of blood behind him. He found his path blocked by a pile of rocks.
He yelled, "This is not how I should die, mining these useless Voidstones, crushed to death."
A small stone among the piles began to emit a blue glow. Arlo didn't notice due to his agony.
The shining rock began to tremble and, without warning, plummeted onto Arlo's head, crushing him instantly.
[End of Chapter]