The edge… the pain… blood spilling down my throat… and the growing desperation…In the end, I simply opened my eyes again.
I don't know when I fell asleep. The rough bed—barely better than cardboard—had been my companion through this first "night."
I was in a room with rusted walls. After returning from death, I tried to calm myself, but honestly… this was unbelievable.
—Good morning, human —Axio said sharply, floating above my head—. You sure took your time.
—How long was I out? —I asked, still lying on the bed.
—In human time? Who knows. But you slept about twelve cycles. That's quite a lot.
"Damn it. Even time isn't normal here."
I tried to get my bearings by looking outside, but the room was completely sealed, except for a single door that I assumed led into the complex.
Lost in the implications of that…
—Get up, human. I'll give you a quick tour before you get another chance to die… —he said, opening the door with a snap of his tiny paws.
Honestly, I didn't have the strength to stand, but staying locked inside four rusted walls wouldn't help either.
The Nexo—or at least the Metal floor where I was staying—was made up of long corridors of black metal that appeared corroded, though that "rust" glowed like fluorescent light. It shifted in shape and intensity constantly, as if the structure itself were alive, breathing, reacting to the atmosphere of each room.
After walking down a corridor that felt endless, unease crept in. All I could see was an expansive liminal space. Without realizing it, I was already panting.
"When did I start running?" I thought, turning around—only to freeze in terror.
The door to my room was just a few steps behind me.
—Heehee, did you have fun? —the insufferable creature asked, floating smugly in front of me.
—Am I just a clown to you?
—No. If I wanted to see clowns, I'd look for far more interesting ones. A few cycles ago we had Grimaldi—shame he didn't make it past Cancer. At least Grock's still around, though I doubt he'll dare challenge the Pisces floor, heehee.
He said it as if human lives were nothing more than entertainment.
With another snap of his paw, the corridor collapsed into sand-like particles, blinding me as a new location formed.
Before me stood an entirely new structure—an area that could only be called "communal."
My vision couldn't find the end of the room. Above us, the ceiling—still rusted metal—glowed like a night sky. Long tables made of the same metal stretched across the complex, and along the sides, enormous windows revealed a dreamlike landscape: a spectacle of dancing lights formed by hundreds of thousands of thin streams of water, weaving constellations through a consuming void.
"Are we in heaven? No… impossible. If anything, this would be hell."
With every step, I became more convinced that this place was terrifying—and beautiful at the same time. Like an ancient hotel that had once been a pinnacle of beauty and spectacle, only to be abandoned by history.
Lost in the view beyond the windows, I ignored the most disturbing part of the room…
The infernal noise.
An indescribable uproar moved from one side to another, like the entrance to some massive venue—or rather, a "historical otaku convention."
—Axio… are all these people heroes from history? —I asked, still staring outside.
—Heroes? Well, that depends. Metal is the lowest rank of Nexo 0.1. Only minor heroes stay here—those with very recent stories, or not worthy enough to advance through the complex. Unless they're stragglers from higher ranks who lost on upper floors and have to climb back up from zero.
I couldn't stop thinking about the obvious.
How did this place get so full?
Everyone looked like a bizarre mix of costumes from different eras and cultures: Native Americans, medieval soldiers, modern troops, gladiators, Latin American natives, and some who looked like simple villagers.
Without a doubt, this place gave off strong "university cafeteria" vibes.
I clenched my hands unconsciously, forcing myself not to overanalyze things. Understanding the Nexo wouldn't fix my situation anyway.
—You wouldn't want to go for a swim, would you? —Axio said, holding a strange bowl decorated with tiny fish, slurping up a long noodle.
For some reason, watching the little creature suck down that noodle made me realize something disturbing.
I hadn't felt hungry since arriving.
Not only that—I didn't feel the need to use the bathroom. Or even to… breathe.
In the Nexo, I couldn't feel my lungs filling with oxygen. I could see my chest rise and fall, but there was no sensation of muscles working.
—Axio… —"I don't feel anything," I considered telling him.
And I didn't mean that metaphorically.
Literally, my sense of touch and smell were gone.
Seeing the bowl, I lunged for it—but Axio vanished, reappearing behind me in bubbling particles.
—I see you've just realized it… —he said, slurping even harder.
—Hey… where did you even get that? —I asked, breathless… figuratively.
—Nah, don't even think about eating. You're broke, Mr. Nobody.
Harsh words, carrying a catastrophic truth.
—Hey, kid!
A deep, masculine voice reached me.
I recognized it instantly. Oh, I really did.
The tone was far more jovial now, but without a doubt, it belonged to the bastard who crushed my team—the man from the bull.
When I turned around, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest.
Approaching cheerfully was a mountain man, axe in hand, red beard hiding an enormous grin.
Beside him walked… an Apache.
One I would never forget.
His face was weathered, dressed in traditional Native American clothing covering his torso and legs, proudly wearing a small feather ornament in his long black hair.
His eyes—black as night—locked onto mine.
I could tell.
He was genuinely ashamed.
Both of them approached me. My legs moved on their own until my back hit the window.
—I'm glad to see you alive —the mountain man said, extending his free hand—. Name's Paul Bunyan. Pleasure to meet you.