"Haa… finally, my shift is over."
The words slipped out as Eliandro Cruz stood in the dim hallway outside his apartment. He fumbled for his keys, unlocked the door, and stepped inside. The moment it closed behind him, he kicked off his shoes, crossed the living room, and collapsed onto the couch.
He was exhausted—bone-deep tired, the kind that clung to him after a long day at the hospital.
"Gosh, I hate evening shifts," he muttered to himself. "There were way more patients than usual today."
As much as he wanted to lie there forever, dinner still needed to be made, and he needed a shower just as badly. Still, despite his fatigue, a small spark of excitement flickered in his eyes.
"Tomorrow's the start of my paid leave," he said quietly, a smile tugging at his lips.
Finally, a break. No alarms. No patients. No rushing through crowded hallways. Just peace, quiet, and the freedom to do whatever he wanted.
His name was Eliandro "Elio" Cruz, twenty-five years old—an overseas Filipino worker living in America. For the past two years, he had worked as a nurse in a hospital in Minnesota. Before that, he had spent three years gaining experience in a hospital in Manila, Philippines. Once he met the requirements, he accepted a job offer overseas—better pay, better opportunities, and the chance to support his family back home.
Leaving the Philippines hadn't been easy. After months of preparation—paperwork, packing, and finding a place to live—he said his heartfelt goodbyes and flew to America.
Now, he was managing well. He could support himself, pay his bills, and still send money and small souvenirs to his family back home. He had thought about visiting again soon, but time simply wouldn't allow it. Besides, he had only just returned after celebrating Christmas and New Year's with them.
This—being alone in his apartment—was one of the rare moments he truly cherished. Call him selfish if you wanted, but this was simply the nature of an introvert. Even as a nurse, someone constantly surrounded by people, Elio valued solitude above all else.
And he had plans for his vacation. Simple ones.
1. Eat.
2. Play games or watch TV.
3. Pretend the world didn't exist.
4. Sleep soundly.
5. Repeat.
Boring to most people—but perfect for him.
After cleaning up and eating dinner, Elio checked that the door was locked and the lights were off. He climbed into bed, whispered a short prayer, and drifted into sleep almost instantly—peaceful, quiet, and excited for the days of rest ahead.
Little did he know that tomorrow would change his life forever.
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(Morning)
The alarm on his phone rang.
Elio's eyes snapped open, fully awake and strangely energized. He sat up, stretched his arms, and let out a long yawn.
"Yawn… finally. Today's the day," he said, his eyes bright.
He prayed, as he always did after waking up, then turned off his alarm. Feeling refreshed, he checked his phone for messages. Just as he was about to lock the screen, a notification popped up.
Something about it felt… wrong.
[DING!]
[Welcome to the Multiverse Chat Group!]
"What the…?" Elio frowned.
[Congratulations. You have been selected as the Administrator for this group chat.]
"…?"
[As the Admin, your job is to maintain and facilitate the group chat and keep peace among its members. The System will assign missions to you and your group. Upon completion, rewards will be granted based on individual contribution.]
"What the heck is this?"
[As Administrator, you have been granted the following privileges:
Random Invitation Letter (x5)
Random Weapon Coupon (x1)
Random Ability Coupon (x1)
Random Familiar Coupon (x1)]
[We hope these will help you survive and thrive in this new beginning. Good luck!]
"…"
Elio stared at his phone in silence, trying to process what he was seeing. After several seconds, he nodded to himself.
"I must be dreaming," he said firmly. "Yeah. This is definitely a lucid dream. Classic cliché stuff."
Before he could relax, another message appeared.
[Dear Administrator, you are not dreaming. You are fully awake, and everything you see is real.]
"No. No, no, no," Elio said, panic creeping into his voice. "I'm just exhausted. That's it. I'm not waking up from this dream."
A chill ran through his body. To be sure, he pinched his arm as hard as he could.
"Ouch!"
The pain was very real.
His heart sank.
"Hey!" he said quickly, addressing the mysterious presence through his phone. "I never agreed to this! Don't I get a say? Can't you pick someone else? I've got a neighbor who loves this kind of stuff—I'll introduce you! I'm not qualified, and I've got important plans!"
For a moment, he dared to hope.
[Apologies, Administrator. You have been determined to be the most suitable candidate to facilitate this group.]
"Pleeeeease…" he begged.
The reply that followed crushed that hope entirely.
[Unfortunately, you are already bound to the chat group through your soul. Unless you die, the Multiverse Chat Group will remain with you for the rest of your life.]
"…"
Speechless, Elio grabbed his pillow and pressed it over his face.
"Mmmmmmhh!" he screamed into it, muffling the sound so the neighbors wouldn't hear. His perfect vacation—ruined before it even began.
A terrible feeling settled in his gut. His once peaceful life was about to spiral into chaos.
Still, there was no escaping it.
"Fine," he sighed. "My perfect vacation is ruined anyway."
With a defeated shrug, Elio decided to use one of the items he'd been given.
"Let's get this over with."
He tapped the Random Ability Coupon.
[Do you wish to use the Random Ability Coupon?]
"Yeah, sure. Whatever."
[DING!]
[Congratulations! You have obtained the ability: Quick Learner.]
[Quick Learner: Your mind absorbs knowledge and skills at an extraordinary rate, allowing you to master techniques, adapt to new environments, and understand complex concepts far faster than ordinary people. The more varied the experience, the faster you improve, granting a significant advantage in combat, strategy, and problem-solving.]
The moment the message appeared, Elio froze.
Not from shock—but from realization.
He closed his eyes as a strange clarity spread through his mind. Thoughts aligned. Connections formed effortlessly. Information flowed smoothly, as if his brain had been upgraded.
Learning felt different now—easier, sharper. Patterns stood out. Memories stuck. Mistakes turned into lessons almost instantly.
When he opened his eyes again, his breath caught.
"Oh my gosh…"
He knew it. Deep down, he knew he could learn almost anything now, in a fraction of the time it once took him. College textbooks, medical theories—everything suddenly felt within reach.
It should have made him happy.
Instead, unease settled in his chest.
Because with power came chaos.
And worse—he would have to interact with complete strangers from who-knew-where.
"This is going to get wild," Elio muttered, swinging his legs out of bed. "I just know it."
He sighed.
"Worst. Vacation. Ever."
With that, he stood up and began preparing for the morning.
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(TO BE CONTINUED)
Name: Eliandro "Elio" Cruz
Ability: Quick Learner
Multiverse Chat Group
Administrator: Eliandro "Elio" Cruz (Username: ???)