Two years have passed since I reclaimed my past-life memories.
Today's my fifth birthday—a supposedly joyous occasion.
…Not that it matters much when I'm the only one in this house, as usual.
In these two years, my father's come home maybe four times. My mother? Twice. We talk over comms now and then, sure, but even that's just once or twice a month.
Is work that fascinating?
Reflecting on my past life, work was something you did to survive, not because you loved it. At least, that's how I saw it.
"Ha, did that sound a bit like Axel's catchphrase?" I mutter with a smirk.
I check the family account and confirm this month's living expenses have been deposited.
"At least they're consistent with the money. Guess that saves them from being labeled neglectful parents."
The account shows a deposit about thirty percent higher than usual—probably their idea of a birthday gift. My parents are workaholics, but they're well-paid ones. The monthly allowance they send is generous, to put it mildly. By my past-life standards, it's roughly a million yen a month. This time, with the birthday bonus, it's closer to 1.3 million.
I transfer the whole amount to my personal account. A glance at the balance tells me it's getting ridiculous. Think about it: I live in my parents' house, with utilities like electricity, gas, and water all covered by them. Out of that million yen, I only spend on food and daily necessities. A regular meal costs maybe a thousand yen, two thousand if I splurge. Add some nutritional supplements to keep my body in check, and that's it.
Sure, I could blow money on fancy kaiseki dinners or full-course meals, but a kid like me walking into a high-end restaurant alone? They'd probably laugh me out the door. So, I stick to balanced meals for nutrition's sake.
Beyond that, my expenses are study materials and light training equipment to prepare for joining Shadow-Mirror. My biggest purchase so far? A Burning PT arcade machine, just under 500,000 yen. It's too big for my room, so it's parked in the living room.
"Speaking of which…" My thoughts drift to the Burning PT, and I sigh.
In my mind, Axel was a close-combat specialist. In Super Robot Wars OGs, he piloted the Soulgain, a machine built for melee. But playing Burning PT revealed something else: my aptitude lies in high-speed maneuvers and long-range shooting.
Not that I'm bad at close combat—far from it. I hold my own in online matches with melee skills. It's just that my talent for shooting stands out even more.
"Another reincarnation perk, I guess?"
Speaking of perks, there's my spatial storage ability. I once wondered if I could pull off a certain golden king's treasure-tossing shtick. Spoiler: I can't. Ejecting stuff from the storage doesn't work like that. When I retrieve something, it just appears around me—or in my hands if I focus. Time seems frozen inside the storage, too; I've tested it with hot food and fresh produce, and they stay pristine. Living things, though? No go. I tried storing bugs and birds, but they wouldn't enter. Dead ones, however, slide right in.
Storage range is about five meters from me, or anything I'm touching. As for capacity? No clue, but it handled the Burning PT machine without a hitch, so it's pretty spacious. Most importantly, when I focus—like with my status screen—a mental list of the storage's contents pops up. Select an item, and it appears. No forgetting what's inside.
"Enough about abilities. Time for food. It's my birthday, so let's go a bit fancy."
I fire up my PDA and connect to the net, pulling up a members-only delivery service site. You input your budget, and they deliver a meal tailored to it, complete with perfect nutritional balance. The taste is top-notch, worth the steep membership and annual fees. Menus change daily, even for the same price, and different budgets yield different dishes. It's impressively varied.
"Guess sites like this are why a latchkey kid like me gets by just fine."
A helper comes by weekly to clean, and between this delivery service and local shops, I'm eating well.
The Inspectors occupied Earth shortly before I was born, but they were driven off quickly. Now, the world's in a recovery phase, settling into stability. In Shadow-Mirror's view, though, stability just means government corruption is taking root.
"Which is why I need to hone my piloting skills to survive."
Ideally, I'd hit the gym too, but heavy training at my age could stunt my growth. The last thing I need is to break down when it counts. So, I focus on exercises that won't strain my body—like sharpening my dynamic vision or playing Burning PT.
I head to the living room and boot up the Burning PT machine. Unlike the original game, this version offers a wide range of units: Personal Troopers (PTs), Armored Modules (AMs), even fighters and tanks. It reflects the difference between the other world, where PTs were niche, and this one, overflowing with diverse weaponry. Special units aren't included, likely due to game limitations.
Frankly, this Burning PT is more simulator than arcade game. Rumor has it the cockpit design mimics the Gespenst's. It's practically a military-grade training tool disguised as entertainment.
I start a single-player mode for a quick warm-up. My go-to unit is the mass-produced Gespenst Mk-II, armed with an M950 machine gun as the main weapon, an M13 shotgun for close encounters, a backpack with Slash Rippers and Split Missiles, and fixed weapons like the Neo Plasma Cutter and Jet Magnum. It's a standard setup.
I'm training to boost my piloting skills, so picking a flashy unit or overpowered character would defeat the purpose. Basics matter, and I'm confident my choice is solid.
I find an opponent online and dive into another match.
Name: Axel Almer
Level: 2
PP: 10
Melee: 114
Ranged: 132
Skill: 124
Defense: 121
Evasion: 149
Accuracy: 171
SP: 158
Ace Bonus: Unknown
Growth Type: All-Purpose / Special
Air: A
Land: A
Sea: B
Space: A
Spirit Commands: ???
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Skills:
EXP Up
SP Boost (SP Up Lv9, SP Recovery, Focus)
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