Chapter 8: Box Day
The bell rang at 10:12 a.m.—a single buzz, short and lazy.
Ash paused halfway through brushing his teeth, foam still clinging to his lips. He checked his phone. No notifications. No messages.
The bell rang again.
His heart thumped once, then steadied.
He grabbed a towel, wiped his face, and walked barefoot to the door.
Outside stood the delivery man, a college-aged guy with sunburned cheeks and a helmet dangling from his elbow.
"Three packages for Creepy Crap Media Desk," he said flatly, as if reciting a spell.
Ash nodded. "Thanks, bhai."
He signed the digital screen with his finger—an illegible swirl—and carefully lifted the boxes inside. Three cardboard rectangles. One small. One medium. One almost obnoxiously large.
He closed the door and locked it.
The silence in his room now had a different texture. Thicker. Waiting.
He sat cross-legged on the floor and placed the boxes in a row.
[System Scan: Items Received – Integrity Verified]
[No hidden tracking devices or external branding. Anonymity preserved.]
Ash cracked his knuckles.
"Let's begin," he murmured.
The camera system activated automatically, hovering like a silent lens in the air. A thin projection screen formed around his face—blurring, masking, hiding. His voice settings kicked in, subtly tuned for deadpan sarcasm with light dramatic inflection.
The red REC icon glowed softly in the corner of his vision.
He clapped once.
"Alright, let's see what kind of cursed plastic I just spent real fake money on."
He sliced the smallest box open with a pocket knife.
Inside: a Naruto headband, a badly-painted Light Yagami keychain, and a plastic badge that simply read "JAPAN COOL 2008."
Ash stared at the badge for a full five seconds.
"…Why does this feel like it came from someone's forgotten drawer in Gulistan?"
He held it up to the camera, rotating it under the light.
"This badge has witnessed crimes. I can feel it."
He placed the items on the mat beside him and reached for the second box.
This one was sturdier, taped with more intent.
Inside: a bubble-wrapped One Piece mug, a Luffy keychain (again), a folded poster of Attack on Titan that had been rolled so tightly it now had permanent wrinkles, and a Funko Pop of… Goku?
He blinked.
"…They put Dragon Ball in a One Piece set. That's like putting Batman in a Spider-Man lunchbox and saying 'Same vibe.'"
He grinned a little, but kept it under control.
For the viewers, it was important to play it lowkey. Mysterious. A deadpan soul navigating weird capitalism.
Then came the final box.
He pulled it forward gently, almost ceremonially.
It took a full minute to remove all the tape.
When it opened, the scent hit him first—plastic, vinyl, something faintly lemon-scented, possibly from packaging.
Inside, carefully bubble-wrapped, was a collection of items that actually looked… premium.
A detailed Levi Ackerman figure stood perfectly balanced in molded plastic. There was a bleach-white Death Note replica notebook, the pages crisp and dense. A My Hero Academia hoodie—black, sleek, not terrible quality. Two enamel pins. A sealed artbook of Demon Slayer character designs. And lastly, a soft plush of Nezuko, its expression strangely… peaceful.
Ash exhaled.
"Okay," he said. "I take back every sarcastic thing I was about to say."
He turned the figure slowly toward the camera.
"This is Levi. Captain of the Simp Division."
Then the notebook.
"It's real. It has actual rules printed inside. I'm legally afraid."
And finally, the Nezuko plush.
"I'm not saying I'd fight someone for this. But if I did, I think Nezuko would understand."
He paused the camera.
Silence returned, heavier this time.
He leaned back against the edge of his bed, letting his head fall against the mattress.
The energy in the room was different. The kind of post-filming quiet he hadn't yet grown used to. A strange peace mixed with self-doubt. The lingering question of: Was that good? Was that enough?
[System Scan: Recording Session Successful]
[Runtime: 23 Minutes, 46 Seconds]
[Highlights Generated: 6]
[Suggested Cut Time: 12–14 Minutes Final Edit]
[Note: Viewer engagement predicted to increase due to authentic reaction and niche relevance.]
Ash stared at the system's floating text.
"Thanks," he said quietly.
[You're welcome.]
He almost laughed.
Still on the floor, Ash looked at the Levi figure again. Its tiny plastic eyes stared forward like it had something to prove.
He picked it up and placed it on his desk, right next to his cracked pen stand.
"You can stay."
Then, the Luffy mug.
He took it into the kitchen and rinsed it out with dish soap.
It was a little light. Probably not ceramic. But still usable.
He poured himself tea.
Took a sip.
It tasted like Rubber;)
End of Chapter 8