Zaydan's eyelids fluttered open, sunlight spilling through the half-drawn curtains. He found himself sprawled on Rehan's couch, still wrapped in a blanket. The peaceful morning was suddenly shattered by a familiar, sharp voice.
"ZAYDAN!"
He jolted upright. Standing at the doorway of Rehan's modest home was his father, arms crossed and face fuming.
"What are you doing here?! Sleeping like a beggar in someone else's house?!" his father barked. "Do you think this is how a decent son behaves?"
Zaydan sat up, rubbing his neck. "I just—uh—it's complicated…"
"No more excuses!" his father snapped. "Get up. We're going home. NOW."
Without another word, Zaydan grabbed his bag and quietly followed his father, guilt simmering beneath his calm exterior. The walk home was silent and awkward, his father muttering to himself the entire way. As they reached the front gate, the door creaked open and his younger sister, Sana, peeked out. Her eyes widened in shock.
"Bhai…?" she blinked. "What the hell happened to you?!"
"What do you mean?" Zaydan asked.
Sana marched up to him and stared, mouth agape. "You're... buff! Since when do you have shoulders like that?! And—wait—SIX PACKS?! Are you in some kind of movie or something?!"
Zaydan looked down at himself and chuckled nervously. The training, mana strengthening, and the battle in the other world had clearly reshaped his body overnight.
"I've been… working out," he mumbled.
His mother stepped out too, visibly surprised. "He looks like he's been lifting tractors."
Feeling sticky and dusty, Zaydan excused himself and headed to the bathroom. After a quick, refreshing bath, he returned to his room to change—but as he tried pulling on his usual T-shirt, it got stuck halfway down his chest.
"Oh come on…" he groaned.
The sleeves tore as he flexed slightly, and the pants barely made it past his thighs.
"…Right."
Defeated but calm, he walked over to his father's wardrobe and borrowed one of his formal shirts and pants. Slightly oversized in width but perfect in height, it would do for now. At dinner, the family exchanged glances but didn't ask further questions. Everyone was just glad to see him home.
Later that night, after lying in bed and thinking about the wild journey he was living, Zaydan drifted into a deep, well-earned sleep.
The next morning, after a hearty breakfast with his mother's famous parathas, Zaydan dressed again and headed out, slipping two gold coins from Azzad's world into a cloth pouch. His first task was critical: understand Earth's exchange value.
He entered a small gold-buying shop that displayed a digital board with current rates. A man with reading glasses and a mustache greeted him.
"Yes, young man?"
"I've got some gold to sell," Zaydan said, placing one coin on the counter.
The man picked it up, examined the weight, tapped it lightly, then used a digital scanner.
"This… is nearly 24 karat. Very pure. About 15 grams," he said.
"How much does that get me?" Zaydan asked.
"At today's rate… one gram of 24K is about ₹6,800. So 15 grams… that's around ₹1,02,000."
Zaydan's eyes lit up. "And if I give you two coins?"
"₹2,04,000—if both weigh the same."
Zaydan grinned. "Deal."
After completing the transaction, Zaydan walked out with a thick envelope full of cash. His next stop? A supermarket.
Inside the bright, air-conditioned aisles of the mart, Zaydan moved like a man on a mission. He grabbed various types of chocolates—KitKat, Munch, Dairy Milk Silk, Bournville—and packs of imported cookies, spicy snacks, and dry foods. He also picked up rice, lentils, instant noodles, and packaged drinks. The cart piled up quickly.
After checking out, he returned to Rehan's house, unloading the bags on the floor. He pulled out his phone and typed:"Item Bag in Fantasy Worlds""Dimensional Storage in RPGs"
As he scrolled, curious terms popped up—Inventory Management, Dimensional Rift, Subspace Pocket, Storage Magic. His book, Codex of All Realms, suddenly pulsed.
A notification formed in his mind:
"New Concept Detected: Dimensional Storage. Cross-referencing with Book Wyrm... Analysis complete."Skill Unlocked: Sovereign Vault (SSS-Rank)Description: A god-tier spatial storage technique. Limitless weight, time-frozen preservation, and intelligent item management.
Zaydan's eyes gleamed. "SSS rank? Now we're talking."
He activated the skill, and a glowing circular portal opened mid-air. It felt natural—like moving his hand to open a drawer. He quickly stored all the items—boxes of Five Star, new chocolates, spices, packaged goods—and then returned to Rehan's house.
He packed Rehan's bedsheets, his worn-out mattress, all the dishes, the fan, folding table, portable gas stove, electric kettle, and even the old plastic chair. Everything vanished into the Sovereign Vault with a flash.
Once done, he walked to the house owner's place to formally close the matter. The elderly man greeted him on the porch.
"Ah, Zaydan beta. You're here for the rest of the furniture?"
"Yes, uncle. Rehan's moved to another state for work. I came to collect everything on his behalf."
The man nodded, handing him the key. "We're heading out of town for three days. Once you're done, just leave the key under the doormat."
"Will do. Thanks."
After one final sweep of the house and storing the remaining furniture—basic cots, shelf racks, and a small wooden table—Zaydan locked the door, slipped the key beneath the mat, and returned home.
At dinner, he shared the prepared story with his family. "Rehan got a job offer in another state. It's a big opportunity—and it's based on a formula we both worked on. If it gets accepted, I might be hired too. So I'm going with him for a while."
His parents exchanged looks but nodded slowly. "Just be careful," his mother said softly.
"Work hard," his father added, more serious now. "Prove you're not just dreaming."
Zaydan gave them a firm nod. "I will."
That night, as he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling fan spinning above him, a small smile played on his lips.
A little work... that's all it took. A little work, a little courage—and everything changed.
"Do your karma, and the universe will return your prize."