"...Thirty-seven... Thirty-eight... Thirty-nine... Forty!"
Ding! Quest Complete. 3 EXP earned.
I collapsed onto the floor, my scrawny arms and legs trembling from the effort. The so-called "Saitama workout" was starting to feel more like torture for toddlers. Sweat dripped down my forehead as I rolled onto my back, staring at the peeling ceiling paint of my hospital room.
"System," I said between breaths, "what's the damage?"
Level 2: 476/500 EXP.
I groaned, throwing an arm over my eyes. "You've got to be kidding me. Four hundred seventy-six? I'm this close to leveling up again, and it still feels like climbing Mount Everest."
Ever since my first quest five years ago—the one that had generously awarded me 10 EXP—I'd been grinding. Day after day, quest after quest. But every task since then only seemed to give me 1 to 5 EXP. Drinking water? 1 EXP. Doing a workout? 3 EXP. Folding hospital sheets like some kind of prepubescent maid? 2 EXP.
"Where's the justice in this?" I muttered, dragging myself to my feet. "I thought tyrants were supposed to crush kingdoms, not fold laundry."
The system, as usual, didn't respond. It had a knack for silent judgment, which only made it more infuriating.
Sighing, I grabbed a towel and headed to the bathroom. A long soak would help ease the humiliation of my current existence.
A Goodbye I Saw Coming
After my bath, I shuffled back into my room, hair still damp. But instead of the usual quiet, I was greeted by something unexpected: the entire hospital staff crammed into my tiny space.
Every nurse, doctor, and orderly who'd been part of my life for the past five years was there, except for the ones on duty. Their faces were a mix of forced smiles and tearful grimaces. My gut churned.
"Oh no," I muttered under my breath. "This can't be good."
Nurse Molly, who was basically the closest thing I had to a parental figure, stepped forward. Her voice wavered. "Allen, sweetie... we need to talk."
And just like that, I knew.
The hospital couldn't afford to keep me anymore.
They explained everything with the kind of care you'd use to break bad news to a child—which, technically, I was. I sat on my bed, watching their tearful faces, trying to muster up some appropriate emotion.
"We've registered you for school, Allen," Molly said, her voice trembling. "It's a good one, right here in Gotham. You'll make friends and learn so much. A boy as smart as you deserves a bright future."
She paused to wipe her eyes, and another nurse chimed in. "We also... we managed to get your mother's house transferred into your name. You'll have a place to stay."
They kept talking, listing off their well-meaning plans for my new life. I listened, nodded, and thanked them when it felt appropriate. But inside, I couldn't help but think, I knew this was coming. I just didn't think it would happen so soon.
When they finally handed me a duffel bag with my belongings and led me to the bus stop, the goodbyes started in earnest.
"Be good, Allen."
"We'll miss you."
"Don't forget us!"
As the bus pulled away, I waved until the hospital disappeared from view. Then I slumped back into my seat, staring out the window at Gotham's grimy streets.
"At least I gained something out of all this, right, System?" I muttered.
For once, it responded immediately: A tyrant rules over and uses the most of his environment.
I sighed, leaning my head against the glass. "Yeah, thanks for the motivational speech."
The further the bus drove, the worse the scenery got. My old neighborhood wasn't exactly paradise, but this new area? It was like stepping into a dystopian nightmare.
The streets were lined with cracked pavement and littered with broken glass. Every corner seemed to have its own personal dumpster fire, with shady figures huddled around for warmth. Junkies stumbled through the alleys, their hollow eyes darting around like they were looking for their next fix. Women in short skirts and heels stood under flickering streetlights, their smiles more desperate than inviting.
The air reeked of piss, smog, and hopelessness—a cocktail unique to Gotham.
"Lovely," I muttered, watching as a guy in a ski mask ran past the bus window with a stolen purse. Nobody even bothered to stop him.
When the bus finally stopped in front of my new address, I stepped off, taking in the dilapidated row of townhouses. My mother's house—or rather, my house—was one of the less tragic ones. The paint was peeling, and the windows looked like they hadn't been cleaned in decades, but it was still standing.
"Home sweet home," I said, dragging my duffel bag up the front steps.
Inside the House
I unlocked the door with the key they'd given me, stepping into what I assumed would be a total dump. To my surprise, the place was relatively clean. Bare, but clean.
The staff had clearly sold most of the furniture, leaving just the essentials: a bed, a phone, some school clothes, and a few basic necessities. There was even a wad of cash—$2,000—in a drawer. Not a fortune, but for a seven-year-old? It felt like hitting the lottery.
"Well," I said, dropping my bag on the floor. "Could be worse."
The system chose that moment to chime in: New Quest Available: Attend your first day of school. Reward: 20 EXP.
I stared at the glowing words in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me. School? You're telling me I need to go to school now? For 20 EXP?"
Affirmative. Work hard and aim to be the top student.
I groaned, running a hand through my hair. "This has to be a joke. I'm seven, and I already have student loans in the making."
The system, of course, didn't respond.
"Fine," I muttered, crawling onto the bed. "I'll deal with it tomorrow. But don't think I'm happy about this."
The house was quiet, the kind of quiet that made the loneliness creep in. As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but think about the system's words: A tyrant rules over and uses the most of his environment.
If Gotham was my environment, then I had a lot of work to do.
Chapter Four End.