Early morning in a crappy apartment—The cheap, buzzing alarm clock blares in the dark, messy room. Dirty clothes are piled in the corner. Instant noodle cups litter the small table.
"Ugh… shut up already." Zenjiro groaned.
He slaps the clock off the nightstand. It clatters to the floor. He stares at the ceiling, dead-eyed.
Another glorious morning in paradise. Another day of being stepped on by the universe.
He sits up, scratches his unshaven face, and looks at his phone.
"Zero messages. Zero notifications. Not even a scam call… Wow, Zenjiro, you're killing it."
He forces a bitter laugh.
***
Zenjiro is at a bus stop but he's late, the bus is leaving, he is chasing after it.
Zenjiro runs, out of breath, waving as the bus pulls away.
"Wait, wait, WAIT—!"
The driver smirks and speeds off.
"Hope you crash into a pole, old bastard." he muttered.
He sees a hand come out of the driver's window—flipping him off.
Suddenly a kid on a bike rides past, splashing dirty water on Zenjiro's pants.
"Haha! Loser!" the kid laughed.
"Oh, get back here you little shit—!"
The kid's gone. Zenjiro stares down at his soaked pants.
Why is it always me? What universal law did I break?
***
In the city streets, Zenjiro walks past a group of cute girls. He forces a polite smile.
"H-Hey, morning…"
They don't even glance his way.
Girl 1 (to Girl 2, ignoring him)…
"So I told him, if you don't have a car, don't even try."
They laugh and walk past.
"…Yeah. Right. Who needs shallow chicks anyways." Zenjiro muttered.
Not like I've ever been on a real date. Twenty-eight years old and still… nothing. How sad is that?
***
At the office, Zenjiro walks in, waving awkwardly.
"Morning, guys."
Silence. His coworkers chat among themselves, laughing. One of them, KENTA, elbows another guy.
"Hey, did you see Erika today? She's totally my type."
"No chance, bro. She's way out of your league."
Zenjiro hesitates, mustering the courage to speak.
"Uh… I think Erika's really—"
At that moment, Erika walks by, laughing with another guy. She doesn't even notice Zenjiro.
Kenta snickering to Zenjiro.
"Dude, you don't exist."
Suddenly coffee splashes onto Zenjiro's desk.
"Oops. My bad, man." his other coworker says with a half-apologetic look.
"Yeah. No problem." Zenjiro forces a grin.
The Boss enters the room yelling—
"Zenjiro! I needed those reports yesterday! You sleeping at your desk again?!"
"I… I was just about to send them—"
"Excuses, excuses! You're lucky you still have a job here."
Zenjiro clenches his fists.
I swear… one day… one day I'm gonna blow this whole place up.
***
In the office kitchen, Zenjiro opens the fridge. His lunch is gone. Only a note remains:
'Thanks for the food, sucker!'
"You've gotta be kidding me."
***
The sun is about to set, Zenjiro walks home, slouched, the city buzzing with life around him. Couples, friends, families — none of it his.
Look at them. Smiling, laughing, living their perfect little lives. Meanwhile I'm just… existing. Eating instant noodles and getting stepped on by fate.
He stares at his reflection in a store window — tired eyes, lifeless face.
"This world's garbage."
Suddenly, something glimmers in a dark alley nearby. A faint, almost otherworldly glow.
"Huh…? What's that?"
He walks toward it, curiosity overcoming the numbness. An old, dusty lamp sits half-buried in trash, glowing faintly.
"A lamp? The hell is this doing here?"
He picks it up…
Zenjiro stands in the dim alley, holding the lamp. The golden glow pulses gently from its surface, like a heartbeat. He turns it over in his hands, inspecting it.
"What is this… some kid's prank? Or one of those cheap flea market toys?"
He squints at the strange ancient script etched into the metal.
"'Whoever possesses the lamp shall awaken…' Yeah yeah, magic genie, three wishes, blah blah blah."
He lets out a humorless chuckle.
"Why not? Can't possibly be worse than my life."
"I bet some poor bastard must have chugged it after being ripped off or something..."
He rubs the lamp half-heartedly. At first, nothing happens — but then, a sudden burst of blinding blue light shoots from the spout, swirling like a storm. Zenjiro stumbles back.
"W-Whoa—what the hell?!"
A figure begins to form within the light — delicate, curvy, otherworldly beautiful. Long flowing blonde hair, turquoise blue glowing eyes shimmering like the ocean, and a body so flawless it seems unreal. The light fades, revealing her fully: A GENIE, dressed in ethereal, elegant clothing shimmering with magic.
"At last… I am free." the Genie says smiles warmly.
"...Holy shit." Zenjiro says with his eyes wide, stunned in disbelief.
"I am the spirit of the lamp. You have summoned me, mortal. For releasing me, I shall grant you three wishes." the Genie said.
Zenjiro stares, mouth slightly open.
"No fucking way… you're real? A real genie?"
"Indeed. My power is ancient and limitless. State your desires, and they shall be made real." She giggles.
Zenjiro gets excited!
"So I can wish for whatever I want?!"
"The rules are; you can't wish for some to love you, you can't wish for someone to come back from the dead or wish someone dead, or non-existent. Other than that, you can wish to your heart's desires…"
Zenjiro (to himself, dazed)
"Okay, Zenjiro… don't screw this up."
He straightens up, a smirk creeping onto his face for the first time.
"Alright, Genie. I'm done playing small. Here's my first wish."
The Genie's eyes gleam, intrigued by the sudden change in his tone.
"Yes…?"
Zenjiro is grinning, almost like a madman.
"I wish to be reincarnated in a fantasy world — filled with magic, monsters, adventure — as an all-powerful, immortal being with a God complex. No limits, no weaknesses. I wanna rule that world like it's my own playground."
The Genie looks surprised… then amused.
"My, my… such a bold request. Very well — it is done."
She claps her hands. A surge of divine energy wraps around Zenjiro, making him stagger as his body starts to glow faintly.
Zenjiro is breathless…
"Holy… I can feel it already…"
The Genie looks to him.
"You now hold power beyond imagination in the world you shall awaken to. But be warned… power draws enemies."
Zenjiro grinning wider…
"Good. Let them come."
He then eyes The Genie up and down.
"I gotta know… would you wanna be my bride?"
The Genie blinks in shock — her expression softens a little.
"Me?"
"Yes you." he reiterates.
After a brief moment, The Genie replies…
"I… cannot. Bound to this lamp, I belong to no one. I am cursed to serve until freed."
Zenjiro steps up to her.
"Then that's my second wish. I wish you were free… and my bride. From now on, you've got a name — Celeste."
Celeste gasps, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. Magic light wraps around her as the chains of the lamp shatter invisibly.
"You… you would free me? And make me yours…?"
Zenjiro leans in, cocky as ever.
"Damn right. You're too gorgeous to be stuck in a lamp."
She then smiles softly…
"Very well… I accept. From this moment on, I am yours — Celeste."
She steps closer, placing a hand on his chest. The remaining light settles.
"Damn… this is actually happening." Zenjiro says with a huge smile on his face.
Celeste laughs.
"One wish remains… Choose carefully, my love."
Zenjiro looks down at his hand, feeling the raw power surging inside him. He grins.
This is it… my life starts now.
Zenjiro loud, and cocky.
"I'll hold onto the last one for now. Never know when I'll need it."
Celeste smiles knowingly.
"Wise, but if you ever need to use it, just say the words 'I wish', followed by your desired request, then your wish will be granted."
"Alright, Celeste. Take me to my new world."
Celeste raising a hand
"As you command, my God."
The alley explodes in light. The city vanishes — replaced by swirling stars, a blinding portal.
***
Night, the sky is filled with brilliant stars and twin moons. A swirling portal opens high above the land, and out of it falls Zenjiro — though instead of screaming in fear, he grins like a madman.
Zenjiro laughing…
"YEAH!! This is more like it!!"
He lands softly, floating just above a grassy hill under the moonlight. Power radiates off him in shimmering waves — his eyes glowing faint gold, his clothes now a sleek, otherworldly outfit fit for a deity.
Zenjiro is looking at his hands, flexing them.
"I feel… invincible."
Celeste appears beside him in a flash of soft blue light, now dressed in beautiful fantasy attire that matches his status. She watches him with a mixture of affection and admiration.
"Welcome, my love… to your new world."
Zenjiro looks around — endless forests, shimmering rivers, distant floating islands, and a medieval-style kingdom glittering far in the distance.
"Damn… this place is amazing. Magic, monsters, adventure… everything I ever wanted."
He raises a hand casually toward a massive boulder nearby — with a flick of his finger, it disintegrates into dust.
"Oh yeah. I'm a freaking God." Zenjiro laughs smugly.
Celeste giggles, stepping closer.
"Your power is unmatched here. You can bend the rules of this world as you see fit. But… what shall you do first, my God?"
Zenjiro is now grinning devilishly…
"I'll start with the basics — build a harem, gather followers, crush anyone dumb enough to challenge me, and enjoy this world like a playground."
"So confident. I like it." Celeste says teasingly.
He looks to her, "You're part of it too, remember? My first bride."
She blushes lightly, smiling.
"And proud to be."
A rustling sound from nearby trees catches their attention. A group of low-level bandits emerge — scruffy, poorly armed, sneering.
"Well, well… what's this? A couple of lost nobles? Hand over your valuables… and the woman stays with us."
Zenjiro raises an eyebrow, unfazed. He casually steps forward.
"Oh? You clowns picked the wrong God to mess with."
The Bandit Leader laughs…
"God? Hah! This guy's lost his mind."
Without even lifting a hand, Zenjiro glares at them — a pulse of invisible energy blasts through the air. The bandits are thrown backwards like ragdolls, slamming into trees and falling unconscious.
"Too easy."
Celeste floats closer, a soft smile playing on her lips.
"Impressive, my love."
Zenjiro turns to her, his smirk softening.
"Come here."
Without warning, he pulls her in and plants a deep, confident kiss on her lips under the shimmering moonlight. Celeste's eyes widen briefly, then close as she melts into it, her hands resting gently against his chest.
They part, their faces close, both smiling.
"Let's claim this world together." he says softly.
"Forever." Celeste whispers back at him.
He takes her hand, and together they walk off toward the distant town — two radiant figures beneath the twin moons, power crackling in their wake.