Chapter 98: A Day For Myself

Klaus decided to enjoy himself alone for a day.

For once, he didn't want to think about the New World, the Apocalypse System, the stock market, his businesses, or the people he had gathered around himself.

He simply wanted to spend a day doing whatever came to his mind.

So, after leaving the weapons training facility, he rode his bike through the city without any particular destination in mind.

The afternoon sun hung above the buildings, and the roads were filled with cars, buses, pedestrians, and the occasional cyclist trying to squeeze through gaps that were far too small.

Klaus watched them all with a faint smile as he drove.

"Maybe I should do this more often," he mumbled.

He had spent so much time planning for the future that he had almost forgotten what it felt like to simply live in the present.

After driving around for a while, his stomach growled.

"Let's eat something first..."

He soon stopped before a fast-food restaurant and parked his bike before walking inside.

The moment he entered, the smell of fried chicken, freshly baked buns, and fried potatoes filled his nose.

He walked toward the counter and looked at the menu.

The employee behind the counter smiled politely and asked, "What would you like?"

Klaus stared at the menu for a few seconds before pointing toward several items.

"I want a bucket of fried chicken, two burgers, a large portion of fries, a large soda, and an ice cream."

The employee blinked.

"That's... quite a lot."

Klaus looked at him and shrugged.

"I'm hungry."

The employee nodded and quickly placed the order.

A few minutes later, Klaus sat at a table with enough food to feed several people.

He picked up a piece of fried chicken and bit into it.

His eyes widened slightly.

"Good."

He ate another piece, then another, and before long, the food began disappearing at a frightening speed.

The people sitting nearby occasionally glanced toward him, wondering where he was putting everything.

Klaus didn't care.

He grabbed a burger and took a large bite before drinking some soda.

"This is what life should be."

He laughed softly and continued eating.

He didn't think about business, about ruling the world, or about whether his decisions were correct.

When he finished the chicken and burgers, he picked up the ice cream and slowly ate it with a spoon.

The cold sweetness made him close his eyes for a moment.

"Hmm..."

He leaned back in his chair and sighed comfortably.

"Maybe I really have been taking things too seriously."

After finishing the ice cream, he left the restaurant and walked through the streets until he eventually reached a large park.

The park was filled with trees, flower beds, benches, and winding paths, and several families were enjoying the afternoon together.

Klaus slowed his steps as he entered.

He walked beneath the trees with his hands inside his pockets and watched children running around while their parents followed behind them.

An elderly couple sat together on a bench, quietly talking while sharing a packet of snacks.

A young man was trying to teach his girlfriend how to ride a bicycle, although judging by the way she kept screaming, neither of them was having much success.

He continued walking.

The wind brushed against his face, carrying the smell of grass and flowers, and for the first time in a while, his mind became completely quiet.

He eventually found an empty bench beneath a large tree and sat down.

He leaned against the backrest and looked toward the sky through the branches.

He smiled and his eyes sl,owly closed.

He stayed there for nearly an hour before getting up again.

As he walked out of the park, a gaming parlour caught his attention.

Klaus stopped.

He looked at the colorful sign above the entrance and smiled.

"I haven't played games in days."

He walked inside.

The room was filled with flashing screens, electronic sounds, and the occasional shout from players who had either won or lost.

Klaus looked around with curiosity.

A racing game immediately caught his attention.

He sat down and selected a vehicle before the screen displayed the title.

"Street Velocity?"

He started the race.

The moment the countdown reached zero, his fingers moved naturally.

The virtual car accelerated down the road, and Klaus quickly learned the controls.

Within seconds, he was overtaking almost everyone.

The player sitting beside him stared at the screen.

"How are you doing that?"

Klaus smiled.

"I'm just better."

"You're using some kind of trick!"

Klaus laughed and continued playing.

After winning the race, he moved to another machine.

This one was a fighting game called "Battle Kings."

He selected a character named "Thunder Fist," while his opponent picked a massive character called "Iron Beast."

The match began, and Klaus immediately started experimenting.

He blocked.

He attacked.

He learned the timing.

Then he discovered a combination that practically destroyed his opponent.

"Interesting."

His fingers moved rapidly across the controls.

The character on the screen unleashed a series of punches before finishing with an uppercut that sent Iron Beast flying across the virtual arena.

"Perfect!"

The player beside him groaned.

"Come on!"

Klaus chuckled and moved to another game.

He tried a shooting game called "Counter Force: Strike Zone," followed by a fantasy game called "Legends of Eternal Quest."

He even played a dance game, although he quickly discovered that his physical abilities made it ridiculously easy.

The machine barely had time to display the arrows before his feet moved into position.

The screen flashed PERFECT repeatedly.

A few people gathered around him.

"Is he some kind of professional?"

Klaus stepped off the platform and laughed.

"No, I'm just bored."

After spending several hours there, he finally left.

He wandered through the streets again, and while passing a small electronics shop, something on the television mounted near the entrance caught his attention.

A wrestling match was being broadcast.

Klaus stopped.

Two massive wrestlers were inside the ring.

One of them was a huge Samoan wrestler named Samoan Reigns, while his opponent was Brody Rhodes.

The crowd inside the shop cheered loudly as the match reached its final moments.

Klaus stood outside the entrance and watched.

Brody Rhodes charged forward and attempted to slam Samoan Reigns into the mat.

However, Samoan Reigns caught him and countered.

The crowd erupted as the two wrestlers struggled.

"Come on, Reigns!" someone shouted inside the shop.

Brody managed to break free and struck him with a powerful punch before climbing onto the ropes.

He jumped.

However, Samoan Reigns moved aside at the last second.

Brody crashed onto the mat. Samoan rose and charged into him like a spear and then pinned him.

The referee dropped to the mat.

"One!"

"Two!"

"Three!"

The bell rang.

Samoan Reigns had won. Two golden titles on both of his shoulders.

The crowd inside the shop erupted.

Klaus smiled.

"That was pretty entertaining."

He continued walking after the match ended.

By evening, he found himself standing before a cinema.

He stared at the posters displayed outside and eventually chose a romance movie.

"I suppose I should try something different."

He bought a ticket and entered.

The movie followed two young people who met by chance, fell in love, separated because of misunderstandings, and eventually reunited after overcoming their problems.

Klaus watched silently.

At several points, the audience laughed.

At others, people sniffled.

Klaus simply sat there with his arms crossed.

When the male protagonist finally confessed his feelings, the woman began crying and embraced him.

The audience collectively sighed.

Klaus chuckled softly.

"People really like this stuff."

Yet despite his words, he found himself enjoying the movie.

Perhaps because, after everything that had happened with Sarin and Trina, he understood the emotions on the screen better than he wanted to admit.

When the credits finally appeared, Klaus remained seated for a few moments.

He stared at the screen and sighed.

"Love really is troublesome."

He left the cinema and walked toward his bike.

The city had become quieter now, with streetlights illuminating the roads and people gradually returning home.

Klaus climbed onto his bike and rode through the streets.

For once, his mind wasn't filled with plans.

He wasn't thinking about money, power, the New World, or the future.

He had simply eaten good food, walked around a park, played games, watched wrestling, and sat through a romance movie.

It wasn't anything extraordinary.

Yet somehow, it felt refreshing.

When he finally reached his house, he parked the bike and entered.

He removed his shoes and walked directly toward his bedroom.

His body wasn't tired in the way an ordinary person's body would have been, but his mind felt strangely relaxed.

He changed into comfortable clothes before falling backward onto his bed.

"That was a good day."

He stared at the ceiling for a few seconds.

Then his eyelids slowly became heavier.

A few minutes later, Klaus fell asleep.

And for the first time in a long while, he slept.