Infinite Survival: My 10,000x Return System

Inspector Sol did not waste time with pleasantries. The crystalline entity simply raised a hand. The weeping and utterly broken form of Gildas was encased in a sphere of temporal stasis.

The corrupt Manager vanished entirely. He was hauled off to whatever sterile dimension the High Court reserved for those who tried to embezzle from the universe.

Arthur watched the portal close. His chest heaved as the adrenaline of the heist finally began to drain from his system.

[Ding!]

[Audit Concluded.]

↳ Stolen Assets Recovered.

↳ Cosmic Debt reduced by 15%.

↳ Current Debt Balance: 849,999,999,940 Merit Points.

Arthur stared at the holographic numbers floating in his vision. A fifteen percent reduction. It was a massive sum. It was an incomprehensible amount of wealth that would have taken a thousand lifetimes to farm through standard combat.

But it was not enough. He was still chained to the Deficit Zone. He was still a mortal operating without his god tier multiplier.

"It is a start," Arthur muttered as he dismissed the prompt.

"A start?" Cassia laughed out loud. She slung her sniper rifle over her shoulder.

"Sterling, you just robbed the most secure facility in the sector. You framed the Regional Manager and walked away without paying a single point in Destruction Tax. That is not a start. That is a masterpiece."

"Let us get back to the Margin before the local enforcers figure out their boss is gone," Vane grunted. However, there was a clear and begrudging respect in his scarred face as he looked at Arthur.

The transition back to the slums was quick utilizing the backdoor codes Cassia had.

They emerged onto the rusted and rain slicked roof of their safehouse just as the artificial sun of Sector 4 began to set.

It cast long bruised shadows across the towering scrap metal skyscrapers.

The city below was descending into absolute chaos. But it was not a riot of violence. It was a chaotic celebration.

Word of the arrest of Gildas had already spread through the sprawling metropolis.

The oppressive and soul draining taxes were instantly lifted.

Fireworks made of cheap colorful mana exploded in the smog choked sky. The muffled sounds of cheering and music drifted up from the neon lit streets.

Vane leaned against the rusted railing of the roof. He looked down at the people he had sworn to protect. For the first time since Arthur had met him, the heavy burdened lines on the face of the hero seemed to relax.

He was actually smiling.

Arthur did not join the celebration at all. He slipped away from the edge of the roof and retreated to the shadows near the access hatch.

He leaned against the cold metal wall and pulled up his system. His dark eyes rapidly scanned the shifting data streams of his new territory.

The Margin was completely unprotected now. It was a massive and untapped market.

"You know, you are allowed to smile. Enjoy the win, no matter how small."

Arthur looked up immediately. Cassia stepped out of the shadows. She had shed her tactical stealth armor. She was now wearing a simple dark tank top and cargo pants. She held two glasses and a half empty bottle of cheap and fiercely strong frontier liquor.

"I smile when the debt is zero," Arthur said.

Though his rigid posture relaxed slightly.

Cassia handed him a glass and poured a generous measure of the amber liquid. She leaned back against the wall beside him.

Their shoulders were almost touching.

"You are quite terrifying , Arthur.

It was the first time in a while she didn’t call him "suit".

"I have worked with Auditors, Gods, and cosmic assassins. I have never met anyone who looks at the universe like it is just a math problem waiting to be solved."

"It keeps things simple," Arthur replied as he took a slow sip.

The liquor burned like battery acid going down. It was a harsh reminder of his current mortal limitations. He was human again. If he made a mistake, he bled. If he failed, he died.

He actually had to rely on the people around him. It was a terrifying and entirely foreign feeling for the former CEO.

"Simple is boring," Cassia murmured softly.

She turned her head. Her silver eyes locked onto his. The dim and flickering neon light from the streets below illuminated the sharp and lethal curve of her jawline.

Cassia did not ask for permission. She closed the distance instantly. Her hand reached up to grip the lapel of his ruined white shirt and pulled him down.

Their eyes were locked to each other.

Before logical reasoning could set in, she crashed her lips against his.

It was a deep and passionate kiss. There was no hesitation at all. It was the fierce collision of two people who understood exactly what they wanted.

Arthur instinctively brought his hand up. He rested it firmly on the curve of her waist and pulled her flush against his dense battle hardened muscles. She tasted like cheap whiskey and adrenaline.

For a few long seconds, the heavy weight of the cosmic debt and the hostile universe vanished completely.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing slightly heavier. Cassia stepped back. A faint flush dusted her cheeks. The confident and lethal bounty hunter looked momentarily vulnerable.

"Well," Cassia whispered while clearing her throat and nervously adjusting her shirt.

"That was unprofessional."

"Not really," Arthur disagreed with his voice a low and raspy rumble.

"I should go check the perimeter," Cassia blurted out. Her usual cool facade completely cracked. She turned on her heel and practically fled toward the other side of the roof. She left a heavy and incredibly awkward silence in her wake.

Arthur stood there and rubbed the back of his neck. For the first time in his life, the corporate liquidator had absolutely no idea how to handle this social dynamic.

From the shadows near the railing, Vane stepped out. The scarred frontiersman had seen the whole thing.

Arthur tensed up and expected a confrotation. He knew Vane had a massive crush on the rogue.

But Vane didn’t show it. He just offered a sad and deeply resigned smile.

"She never looked at me like that," Vane said quietly. He walked past Arthur and clapped a heavy hand on his shoulder. "You two are exactly alike. It makes sense. Just do not get her killed, Sterling."

The hero turned away and abandoned his petty jealousy to head down the access hatch. He was going to help the citizens rebuild their city.

Arthur watched him go. A profound sense of respect settled in his chest.

[Ding!] 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

The system interface suddenly flared to life and snapped Arthur out of his thoughts. The dull copper text shifted back into a vibrant and healthy blue.

[Cosmic Debt Milestone Reached.]

↳ Restriction partially lifted.

↳ Host may now utilize 2x Multiplier for exactly 10 seconds per daily cycle.

Arthur widened his eyes. Ten seconds. It was not omnipotence. It was not the absolute reality manipulation of his Grand Sovereign peak.

But out here in the gritty and grounded reality of the Deficit Zone, ten seconds of double stats and double speed was a devastating tactical nuke.

He clenched his fist tightly. He felt the faint and dormant spark of the multiplier humming deep within his soul.

"Perfect," Arthur whispered. A genuine and ambitious smile returned to his face.

Before he could pull up the system store, the peaceful moment was violently shattered.

The distant sounds of celebration in the city abruptly cut off. They were replaced by a chorus of panicked and terrified screams. The ambient temperature plummeted rapidly.

Arthur whipped his head around and looked up at the sky above the Margin. The bruised grey clouds of the Deficit Zone were shifting.

They were turning a sickly and rotting green.

"Cassia!" Arthur called out as he sprinted toward the edge of the roof.

An invasion had begun.