The small workspace Satria had set up in their shared home was already cluttered with tools and components. The sound of soft clicks and faint hums filled the air as he soldered wires onto a circuit board. His focus was intense, his brow furrowed in concentration as he carefully assembled the pieces of his latest design.
The desk was littered with sketches and blueprints, some half-finished and others covered in notes and calculations. Despite the mess, there was a method to his madness—each piece had its purpose, each wire its place.
"Habibi?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "You mean B.J. Habibie, the third president of Indonesia?"
[Fatalis: Yes, him. I dug through your memories—fascinating man. He was like you, always tinkering with machines and ideas. But what stuck with me was how romantic he was. His love for his wife, Ainun, was so pure and enduring. It reminded me of how you are with Kiyohime]
Satria smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Romantic, huh? Not sure I'd put myself in the same league as Habibie. The guy built airplanes and was a national hero. I'm just trying to make sure Kiyohime and I can live comfortably in this world."
[Fatalis: Oh, don't sell yourself short, brother. You might not be building airplanes—yet—but you've got the same spark]
Satria rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the small grin tugging at his lips. "And the 'sometimes silly' part? Where's that coming from?"
[Fatalis: Don't think I didn't see you doing something weird like that dance or the way you tried to look serious after Kiyohime caught you blushing. Face it, you have a silly side, puppy]
He sighed, shaking his head with a soft chuckle. "Alright, fine. I'll take the comparison as a compliment but don't call me a puppy."
A sudden notification broke his concentration.
[Dimensional Chat Notification]
He paused, wiping his hands on a cloth, and opened the chat.
_______________________
[Ding! Spider-Man Joined Chat]
[Ding! A silver-haired half-elf joined chat]
Pervert Sage: "Welcome, new members!"
Evil Spirit: "Ara~ Welcome."
Man with Gender Equality: "Welcome!"
Spider-Man: "What's going on? Is this some kind of prank? A weird screen just popped up in front of me!"
Silver-Haired Half-Elf: "Um… Excuse me, but can someone explain what this is?"
Shin: "This isn't a prank. This is a Dimensional Chat—an interdimensional network where people from different worlds can talk, share, and even help each other."
Spider-Man: "Wait, what? So all of you are from different worlds?"
Silver-Haired Half-Elf: "That's fascinating. My name is Emilia. It's nice to meet everyone."
Pervert Sage: "Another girl, huh? Hehehe."
Evil Spirit: "Emilia, just a heads-up—stay cautious around @Pervert and his disciples Kazuma. They're bad news for women."
Pervert Sage: "Hey!"
Man with Gender Equality: "We're not that bad! Take that back!"
Shin: "Yes, Spider-Man. We're all from different worlds. Oh, and this group has some cool features. For example, if a crisis occurs in your world, it can generate quests for us to help you. There's also a Shop where you can buy things using coins and a Camera for livestreaming events."
Spider-Man: "Wait… coins? How do we earn those?"
Silver-Haired Half-Elf: "I'd like to know that too."
Shin: "You can get coins by clearing quests or through daily logins. Simple enough, right? And yes, Peter Parker, I know who you are."
Spider-Man: "Wha—how do you know my real name?"
Shin: "I have my ways. If you ever need help, just let me know. I might be able to assist."
_________________________
"Peter Parker, huh? The so-called friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. A genius, no doubt. With a little nudge, he could be something more. But how do I get him to see it?" He tapped the edge of the table thoughtfully.
His gaze moved to a mock-up of an energy core he'd been working on. "He's driven by responsibility, always putting others first. Classic hero type. If I can frame this as something bigger—something that could protect not just his world but others too—he won't be able to resist. I just need the right angle."
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "But what do I really need from him? His scientific mind? His access to tech? No… it's his perspective. The way he thinks about people and problems. I've always been a builder, a solver, but Peter… he's a protector. Together, we could create something that's more than just machines. Something meaningful."
Satria's eyes narrowed as a new idea sparked in his mind. "An interdimensional stabilizer, maybe? A device to monitor and seal dimensional rifts. It'd give us an early warning system against threats no one else can see coming. And with Peter's knack for building compact, efficient tech, we could make it practical."
He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Still, getting him on board won't be easy. He's cautious. Trust won't come quickly. I'll have to show him the potential without overwhelming him." His smirk widened. "Maybe start small—an upgrade for his web shooters. Something he can use right away. Let him see what we can do together."
[Fatalis: Hahaha! Of all the new members in that chat, any normal guy would be tripping over themselves to focus on Emilia. Maybe even try to steal her away from this Subaru guy. But you? You've got your eyes locked on Peter Parker! Honestly, you're something else]
Satria smirked, his fingers drumming lightly on the table. "Peter's the key to something bigger, Fatalis. Emilia's nice and all, but what am I going to do? Sit around and flirt? That's not my style. Peter's potential could help me achieve something real—something tangible."
_________________________
Both Spider-Man and Emilia check the group's livestream history.
Spider-Man: "No way… @Pervert Sage, you're a ninja?"
Pervert Sage: "Yup. My world is full of ninjas."
Silver-Haired Half-Elf: "What's a ninja?"
Shin: "Think of them as warriors or spies, operating in shadows. They're like mercenaries, hired to complete jobs for a price."
Silver-Haired Half-Elf: "Are they bad people?"
Pervert Sage: "..."
Ice Sadist: "We've got an innocent one here, don't we?"
Shin: "It's not that simple. There are good and bad ninjas, just like any profession. They'll do whatever it takes to complete their mission, whether it's protecting someone or… the opposite."
Silver-Haired Half-Elf: "So… @Pervert Sage, are you a good ninja?"
Pervert Sage: "Haha… let's just say my past isn't spotless enough to call me 'good.' I've done things I'm not proud of."
Spider-Man: "You've… killed people, haven't you?"
Pervert Sage: "My hands are stained with the blood of enemies and innocents alike. It's not something I like to talk about."
Spider-Man: "Why? Killing is wrong!"
Shin: "Spider-Man, don't judge him so quickly. Your world isn't all sunshine and rainbows either. Think about the crimes your own country has committed in the name of 'justice.' It's not so different."
Spider-Man: "...I didn't think of it that way. Maybe I've been too naïve."
Shin: "Let's drop that topic for now. Emilia, have you met a man with strange clothes in your world?"
Silver-Haired Half-Elf: "Strange clothes? No, I don't think so. Who are you talking about?"
Shin: "A guy named Subaru. Does that name ring a bell?"
Silver-Haired Half-Elf: "No, I've never heard of him. Should I?"
Shin: "Not necessarily. Just let us know if you ever meet him."
Silver-haired Half-Elf: "Well, I would like and may I change my nickname? It's too long."
Shin: "Sure... Go to the profile settings and press change nickname."
____________________
Satria leaning back in his chair.
"So Emilia and Subaru haven't crossed paths yet, huh?" he mused to himself, tapping his fingers on the desk. "Well, I nominate Lord Kazuma as Subadrun's successor. He'd make a perfect ruler... probably."
[Fatalis: Hahaha! Why not you?]
Satria smirked, shaking his head. "Malas," he replied, leaning forward again, "Plus, there's way too much patience needed for Gotham Asylum levels of insanity. I'm not about to deal with that headache."
___________________
Shin: "By the way, what did you both get from the surprise box?"
Pervert Sage: "I got an extra coin from it! Now I can buy something useful to inspire my writing."
Shin: "I already regret asking…"
Evil Spirit: "Idiot and Perverts."
Ice Sadist: "I received a new ability called 'Inferno of Fire.' Apparently, it's magic used by someone named Valir. Do you know anything about it?"
Shin: "Ah, Valir. That's from another world I know about. So now you control both fire and ice, huh? Have you thought about combining them?"
Ice Sadist: "Combining fire and ice? Is that even possible?"
Shin: "Nothing's impossible. Imagine creating zones of extreme temperature, freezing one moment, incinerating the next. That's just theory, though. You'll have to figure out the details."
Ice Sadist: "Interesting… Thanks for the suggestion, Shin. I'll give it a try."
________________________
[Fatalis: Hahaha! Are you seriously trying to turn Esdeath into Jakiro? A walking embodiment of fire and ice? I almost feel bad for Night Raid—almost. This is pure insanity]
Satria smirked as he leaned back in his chair, tapping his pencil against the edge of his desk. "What can I say? Innovation breeds chaos. Esdeath already has the ice side down; giving her fire is just... balance."
[Fatalis: Balance? Don't kid yourself. You're making her a force of destruction. I can already see her freezing and incinerating entire battlefields while cackling like a maniac. Night Raid's going to have nightmares, and it's all your fault]
"Let's just pray someone out there can actually tame her. Maybe even bring down the current empire and put her on the throne instead. She'd make a terrifying ruler, but at least she'd be focused on empire-building instead of endless carnage."
[Fatalis: Hah! Tame her? Good luck with that, brother. That woman's idea of romance involves bloodshed and absolute domination. Whoever steps up to that challenge better be ready to lose their sanity—or their life]
Satria stared at the screen, the list of items on sale giving him a sense of both excitement and confusion. He could feel his mind racing, trying to make a decision with the limited time remaining. The sale was tempting, but which item was worth his hard-earned coins?
__________________
[Big Sale]
[168 hours remaining]
[Stand: Star Platinum > 20.000 > Phase 2 (Stop Time) > 25.000]
[Devil Fruit, Neko-Neko no mi: Leopard > 7500 > Awakening > 12000]
[Unlock Chakra: Chuunin Level > 4000]
[Sword Technique, Breath of Thunder > 4000]
[Light Saber > 10000]
[Excalibur Mimic > 3500]
[Ring of Aquila > 2500]
[Limited Edition Porn: 18+ > 2500]
__________________
Satria frowned, shaking his head. "Why the hell does a Porn Book have almost the same price as Excalibur Mimic?" he muttered. The fact that such a ridiculous item could even be listed alongside legendary equipment like Excalibur was absurd. He had to remind himself that the world he was in was anything but normal.
His eyes drifted back to the other items. Star Platinum... That Stand ability was tempting, especially if it had the power to stop time. It could be the key to gaining an edge in battles or even just getting ahead in life. But was it worth all those coins? He'd need to gather more information about it before making a decision. The same went for the Devil Fruit, the Neko-Neko no Mi—Leopard. He could already imagine the power it would grant, but it would take time to master.
Then there was the Breath of Thunder, a sword technique that could be useful in combat, or the Light Saber, which would undoubtedly be an excellent weapon in any scenario. But as much as he liked the idea of having a lightsaber, he wasn't sure it was what he needed at the moment.
He sighed and glanced at the timer. 168 hours remaining... plenty of time to think, but also not enough if I miss the opportunity.
"Maybe I'll just save my money for the next big sale. Or at least until I can get more info," he mused, scrolling past the items again. "But then, what if something even better comes along? There's no rerolling... this sale could be my one chance."
"Danna-sama?"
The soft voice startled him. He looked up to see Kiyohime standing in the doorway, holding a tray with a steaming cup of tea and a small plate of snacks. She tilted her head, her expression a mix of curiosity and mild disapproval as she took in the chaotic scene.
"Kiyohime?" Satria straightened up, wiping his hands on a cloth. "What's up?"
She stepped into the room, carefully avoiding the scattered wires on the floor. "I was wondering where you disappeared to, Danna-sama. You've been here for hours without a break." She set the tray down on a clear corner of the desk.
"I got caught up in the work," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "This is important. If it works, it could change everything for us."
Kiyohime's eyes scanned the table, lingering on the half-finished circuit board. "What are you making?"
Satria picked up the prototype and held it up. "It's an advanced energy storage unit—a battery, but way more efficient than anything on the market. If I can perfect this, it'll be a game-changer."
She frowned slightly. "You're always thinking about the future, aren't you? But what about your present? Skipping meals and overworking yourself isn't healthy."
He gave her a small grin. "I'll be fine. Besides, this is for us. I don't want to rely on anyone else. I want to build something that makes our lives better."
Kiyohime sighed, sitting down on a nearby chair. "You're stubborn, Danna-sama, but I suppose that's one of the reasons I…" Her voice trailed off as she averted her gaze, her cheeks tinged pink.
Satria raised an eyebrow, smirking. "One of the reasons you what?"
She quickly stood up, flustered. "N-nothing! Just drink your tea before it gets cold." She crossed her arms and turned her back to him, muttering under her breath.
Satria chuckled, taking a sip of the tea she brought. "Thanks, Kiyohime. I'll try to take better care of myself."
"You'd better," she said firmly, though her tone was softer now. "I'll leave you to your work. Just don't forget that you're not alone anymore, Danna-sama."
As she left the room, Satria leaned back in his chair, her words echoing in his mind. He glanced at the prototype in his hands, a determined smile forming on his lips.
"Not alone, huh? Guess I'd better make this count."
With renewed focus, he returned to his work, the sound of tools and the faint hum of machinery filling the room once again.
To be continued.