Grey Whiteheart awoke with a start, his mind still foggy from the disorienting transition between worlds. He blinked rapidly, trying to focus, but the room around him felt strange, like it belonged to someone else. The cold, hard floor beneath him made him realize he wasn't in some cosmic void anymore—he was in a room, a small apartment, the kind that had seen better days.
The faint hum of traffic from the street below and the distant chatter of people outside brought him back to reality. This wasn't the familiar world he knew. This was… a new world.
A quick glance around the room told him everything he needed to know. The apartment was sparse, filled with old furniture and boxes that looked like they'd been untouched for years. The faint smell of dust lingered in the air. It seemed like it had once been a home, but now it was little more than a forgotten space, probably abandoned after its previous owners had passed.
Grey pushed himself up from the floor, his head spinning for a moment. He was no longer the man he once was. His body had regressed—he was now a teenager, somewhere between the ages of 13 and 16. The knowledge of his new form settled in quickly as he surveyed his surroundings, and the reality of his situation hit him.
He was alone. Completely alone. The parents he once had—his mother, father—were gone. He had no family, no one to rely on.
But Grey's mind was already working, already shifting into the mindset of survival. If he had learned anything in his previous life, it was that nothing was ever handed to anyone. The only thing that mattered was power, influence, and, most of all, money. The world ran on wealth, and if he wanted to make it, he'd need more than just intellect. He'd need to secure his future.
As he stood in the middle of the apartment, Grey's thoughts raced. He knew what he had to do. Getting rich would come first. Everything else could wait.
The apartment's small kitchenette revealed nothing useful beyond the most basic of supplies. But it wasn't the kitchen that concerned him—it was the city outside the window. Grey moved to the window, peering out over the bustling streets. He recognized the skyline—the city was New York. One of the most well-known, resource-rich places on Earth. A city where fortunes were made and broken every day.
He needed to figure out how to get ahead, and fast. To survive in this new world, he needed resources. And he had the mind to make it happen.
His first priority was safety. A place to stay, where he wouldn't be found, would be essential. The apartment might be a good start, but it was far from secure. He would need to find a way to defend himself, to make sure he wasn't a target for anyone who would want to exploit a vulnerable teenager in this dangerous city.
Second, he needed to establish a plan. Information. Knowledge. That would be the key to everything. He could feel the flood of understanding from his newly-gained intelligence. He knew about stocks, currencies, investments, the ways in which the world operated financially. And in this world, things were no different than back on Earth.
Grey sat on the bed, picking up a pen and a notebook he found on the nightstand. He scribbled down his thoughts, making lists of potential opportunities. He could start with something small—a business, a loan, something he could leverage. But he'd need to think long term. With his intelligence, he could quickly learn the ins and outs of the financial systems in this world. He had the advantage of knowledge—if he used it wisely, he could build an empire.
His hands shook slightly as he wrote, the magnitude of the situation settling in. The world wasn't kind to orphans. And it certainly wasn't kind to teenagers who had no power, no wealth. But Grey wasn't like other kids. He had the intelligence of a seasoned strategist, and that made all the difference.
For now, he'd need to lay low, get his bearings, and secure some income. But he wasn't going to stay a nobody for long. No. Grey Whiteheart had plans. Big plans. He would become a force to be reckoned with.
And it would all start with making money. The rest would follow.