Rise Of The System Trillionaire

Mockery & Scorns

Arnold still couldn't wrap his head around it. Maybe it was the misfortune all his life speaking but it all felt like a dream he would just suddenly wake up from.

"Ow!" He hissed, and head held high, Arnold began to walk the streets, going straight to his apartment building, and in no time he arrived.

Black soot coated the walls of the apartment complex. The once bright red hue was no longer it's original color. Instead it had patches of sickly green all over. It looked like it could pass for a work of art but it wasn't. It was a dumpster all in all. A soft wind blew by and a creak accompanied it. It was late at night and everywhere was eerily quiet, so even the faintest sound reached Arnold's ears. It was his window.

The sill was broken and the glass was cracked. The sun's rays bounced off it and Arnold discovered a not so tiny hole.

So that's where the rats and geckos were coming in from. Honestly, Arnold couldn't even remember what condition it was when he moved in.

"What the?" A faint thud jolted Arnold back to Earth. Another one followed and his instincts told him it was coming from his house.

Who could that be? Was it a burglar? Or maybe it was that cab driver. He must have caught on to him because $500 was too much of a tip. With his guts churning at some other option he didn't want to believe, Arnold leapt out of the walkway and onto the dirt path that led to his apartment.

Dust and stone particles pierced Arnold's foot but he didn't care. He had one goal in mind, until Mrs Smith's door creaked open that is.

The 80 year old lady stood at her door, her wobbling figure resting on her cane. Her eyes were the size of slits and it made Arnold shudder.

Arnold had never been a people's person except for those he loved but Mrs Smith was just one of those neighbors you just couldn't stay away from.

"Good evening, Mrs Smith…."

"Wizard!" She shrieked. "You, you wizard."

"I don't understand." Arnold was confused. "Are you okay?"

"You killed him!" Arnold paled at those words. "Why are you still alive? You should be dead by now!"

What was she talking about?

"Everyone come on out." She slapped her cane on the wooden door, the loud bang piercing the quiet environs, “He's a wizard."

"What is going on here?" Another voice chipped in. That was Jack. He made wooden furniture for people around the block and patronized Arnold a couple of times. "What's the matter Mrs Smith?"

"Why don't you ask this devil's incarnate? He's been miserable all his life now he's dipping hands in diabolical things."

"I’ll tell you.” This time it was Mary, Jack's wife. She creeped out onto the porch and continued, “ It's all over the news. After Vera ditched him at his wedding, for his rich friend, he decided to do something tragic. He went out to cause an accident where he came out unscathed. "

Those words drove into Arnold's heart like a stake.

"Thank God Vera finally came to her senses. What were you thinking?" She continued, " Did you think she would stay with you? You measly piece of shit. I saw everything; her wedding dress and rings, the videos were stunning. Did you see the honeymoon package he got her? You could never! I'm glad she left and in public too! Now everyone knows how useless you are!"

"You could have just let that truck driver put you out of your misery!" Mrs Smith took up from where Mary left off. "But instead he died. He died while you came out unscathed. Isn't that the works of the Illuminati?"

Arnold's head hung low. His mind was a sea of every emotion you could think of but only two were prominent; hurt and hope. Hurt because his heart had been slammed into pieces and hope because of the future he had with Nexus.

Who would believe he had died and resurrected again but this time, a million times wealthier per se. No one would believe him if he dared tell them and it made him chuckle.

"Oh my God." Mrs Smith gasped. Her face was ashy and her eyes looked like they were going to burst. Arnold could see her shaking and reaching out to her cane for balance. "Did you see that? He smiled. He just confirmed it, he's an illuminati!"

"Get back." Jack who had been quiet all along roared suddenly. " Stay away.."

"No, no. You've got it all wrong..." Arnold moved towards him but a loud crash interrupted his speech, and everyone’s attention was drawn to a side of the hallway. Arnold’s room actually, and the door burst open.

“Damn it!" He cursed, his feets propelling him towards the door, with his mind whirling even though he knew exactly what was going on.

His landlord was in the room, and Arnold's hunch was confirmed when he got to the foot of the door, and saw the commotion taking place.

His landlord and some other guys were raiding his shoe box sized living room. It was a mess. Even Arnold didn't think his living room could be in a worse state than it was right now.

"Everything. Take out everything." The landlord's voice echoed. As if sensing his presence, he turned and flung Arnold a dirty look. "You!"

"Just calm down sir… I…”

"Get out!" His landlord yelled. "Out! Your time here is over. I can’t accommodate a huge debt owner like you.”

"But sir." Arnold began, his legs quivering and he almost knelt down when suddenly he heard a voice in his head bark out, ‘DON’T!’

‘What do you want now?’ Arnold panicked at the robotic voice in his head.

"Take your things and leave." His landlord continued, interjecting his thoughts as he continued, “ I can't lodge you anymore. You’ve overstayed your welcome. You and that girlfriend of yours. Or should I say jolted bride?”

"But sir please. I promise I'll pay you.."

"When? In your grave? Get out of here before I make my boys do it."

‘I told you not to beg. Don’t let his words get to you.’ Nexus voice rang out in his head again, and this time Arnold was stuck.

On one hand was his landlord and the reasonable thing to do was plead with him. But on the other hand, stood Nexus telling him not to beg, and now he had no idea what to do.

‘Just go in there, with your head held high and pack your bags. Then just on top of your desk, grab all the black cards you see in there. You're no longer Arnold that he can just kick around. You know this.’

Nexus was right. He wasn't just Arnold anymore. He'd almost died and woken up the richest man on earth, nothing could possibly stop him. With his heart in his throat and his head held high, he walked into the rubble that was once his living room.

"Get back here!" The landlord's screams fell on deaf ears.

Instead, Arnold continued his journey. He only had a few belongings. His entire wardrobe could be scooped up into a small bag and still have space for an elephant to fit in.

Just as Nexus said, the mysterious black cards were there. In one swift movement, he swiped all five cards into his pockets and left the room, without looking back.

“Where are you going?” The landlord screamed from behind, and in one swift move Arnold turned around and said, “You can sell everything there. From the clothes, to the electronics and use it to settle the debts.”

“What?” The elderly man asked, with confusion clouding his features but Arnold was done here.

Without saying another word, he walked out of the apartment building, and just as he stepped outside he heard Nexus say – ‘Very good. You stood up for yourself, and you didn’t allow him belittle you. That’s your first non-monetary task and you’ve done well. For that you’ve been given 100,000 lavish points. You could use that to get yourself a new phone maybe.’

“Yes!” Arnold squealed, and at the same time, the voice in his head read again.

(Host - Arnold Stone)

(Nexus Point Balance – Unlocked- 4,999,999,999,500 dollars)

(Body - 55 -Average)

(Mind - 11 - Fragile. Can easily be manipulated.)

(Lavish Point – 100,000 points)

Hands flailing out, a sense of accomplishment and humor brewing within him, Arnold hailed a taxi and instructed the driver to take him to a nearby phone store.