Hospitals always have that distinct smell.
Dexter glanced down at his diagnosis one last time and took a deep breath. To him, that clinical scent smelled like death. He let out a short, dry laugh, stood up, and walked out the door.
The September sun had lost its warmth; there was a sharp bite in the air. He looked up at the sky until his vision blurred and doubled, then looked away and started the long walk home.
Twenty-eight years old.
Stage four cancer.
About thirty days left to live.
So, how was he supposed to spend the rest of his time? He spent the walk weighing his options, cycling through a dozen plans before finally settling on one.
The answer? He was going to do whatever the hell he wanted.
All those things he'd put off because he thought he had "plenty of time"—all the risks he was too scared to take and the money he was too cheap to spend—it was time to do them all. He wanted to die with as few regrets as possible.
As soon as he got home, he started packing. He was leaving the apartment that had felt like a cage for years to go somewhere far away and truly live for his final thirty days. But just as he grabbed his bags to head out the door...
It happened.
Without any warning, the world started spinning, wrapping around him like a tidal wave. Everything went pitch black. A few seconds later, the sun hit his face and he opened his eyes.
He was standing in a place that felt strangely familiar yet totally foreign. He looked down at himself—same body, same guy. He blinked, feeling dazed, wondering if he had actually just kicked the bucket.
Right then, text began to float in front of his eyes:
> [Welcome to your Multiverse Journey.]
> [Time in the real world has been frozen; time in the Multiverse flows freely.]
> [Your life now holds infinite possibilities.]
> [Infinite Karma System successfully bound.]
> [Karma: 10 points (Complimentary).]
> [Friendly Tip: 10 points buys a Common Chest, 100 for Bronze, 1,000 for Silver, 10,000 for Gold, and 100,000 for Diamond. Chests contain everything imaginable—including more years for your life in the real world.]
> [So, get to work and start stacking that Karma.]
Dexter stared. "What the...?"
> [Current World: Shameless]
> [Current Timeline: Pilot Episode / Series Start.]
> [Main Quest: Help Fiona Gallagher get her life together and escape the grind.]
> [Quest Reward: One Silver Chest.]
> [Progress: 0%.]
> [Complete the quest to leave this world.]
The text faded. That was it? The system didn't even explain how to actually earn Karma.
As a modern guy who grew up on movies and web novels, Dexter realized he'd been "isekai'd"—transported into a TV show. He was physically there, though his clothes had been swapped for winter gear. He was in the world of the hit show Shameless, and he had a system. He was still confused, though.
When he thought of "Karma," he immediately thought of a monk's wooden fish. Tap it, gain a point? No, that couldn't be right.
He sat down on the curb to process everything. He reached a few quick conclusions:
1. Since time was frozen back home, his thirty-day clock had stopped. As long as he stayed here, he wouldn't die. He effectively had a second life.
2. If he got enough Karma, he could literally buy more life.
3. Most importantly: he needed to figure out how to get points, and fast.
"Karma is usually a 'good person' thing," he muttered to himself. "So... do I do good deeds? Help old ladies? Be a nice guy? Selfless sacrifice?"
He frowned. This was the world of Shameless. Being a "nice guy" didn't exactly fit the vibe. "Whatever. I'll test it out in a bit. First, let's roll the dice."
He had nothing—no ID, no cash, no place to stay. He wasn't going to survive the South Side of Chicago like that.
> [You spent 10 Karma points on a Common Chest.]
> [Opening...]
> [Beginner's luck is real! You landed a Critical Hit!]
> [Congratulations! You received: $10,000 in cash, a full set of ID documents, fluent English, and 1 Karma point.]
Dexter felt the weight of the cash and the ID in his pocket and grinned. That made things a hell of a lot easier. He stood up, stretched, and decided to go find a "good deed" to do.
He had watched Shameless enough times to know the layout of the neighborhood by heart. It didn't take long for him to find North Wallace Street. He could see the Gallagher house—the iconic, dilapidated shack—in the distance.
As he walked, he spotted an old white man stumbling down the sidewalk, struggling with a large paper grocery bag.
Here's my chance, Dexter thought. He hurried over and flashed a friendly smile. "Hey, let me get that for you, sir."
The old man squinted at him, looking him up and down. "Well, look at you. A polite kid. Here, take it." He shoved the bag—filled with dirty laundry—at Dexter.
I'm only doing this for the points, you old prick, Dexter thought, maintaining his smile as he took the bag.
The second his fingers touched the paper...
> [Karma -1]
Dexter froze. "Are you kidding me?"
What was going on? He was helping a senior citizen! How did he lose a point? Something was definitely wrong. His mind raced, searching for the logic. Then, it clicked.
Wait... this is the South Side. This is "Shameless." Maybe everything is backwards?
There was only one way to find out: trial and error.
He scanned the street. Suddenly, he spotted a young Carl Gallagher nearby, sitting on a beat-up bike and watching with a blank expression. Dexter didn't care. At this point in the show, Carl was a little sociopath anyway; he wouldn't mind whatever happened next.
Dexter didn't hesitate. He swung his arm and chucked the bag of laundry right into the dirt.
> [Karma +1]
Dexter laughed out loud. He'd figured it out. In this world, the worse you are, the better you're doing.
The old man's jaw dropped. "Motherfer! What the hell is wrong with you, kid?!"
Carl stopped his bike, a slow, appreciative grin spreading across his face. He looked at Dexter like he'd just seen a hero.
"Screw you, old man!" Dexter shouted back. Since being a jerk was the key to success, he wasn't going to hold back. He stepped forward and delivered a solid kick, knocking the old man flat on his butt.
> [Karma +3]
"Now that feels good," Dexter muttered. He turned and walked away, feeling a rush of adrenaline.
Behind him, the old man started wailing and shouting curses at the top of his lungs. Carl Gallagher just gave Dexter a big thumbs up.
"Nice!" the kid shouted.