Beep! Beep! Bee—
The alarm sound came to an abrupt stop as a hand slammed down on it, silencing the noise instantly.
"Ugh… another beautiful morning."
Zayne pushed himself up from the bed and stretched deeply, his joints popping faintly as a pleasant warmth spread through his body. There was no lingering grogginess, no heaviness in his limbs. Instead, he felt light, sharp, and energized—as if he had already downed a cup of strong coffee.
"It seems a good night's sleep was all I needed. My Spirit attribute really is something else," he muttered to himself.
He walked over and pulled his curtains open, allowing the early morning sunlight to flood the room. Cool air rushed in through the open window, carrying with it the distant sounds of the city waking up—cars passing, birds chirping, and the faint hum of civilization beginning another day.
And he wasn't wrong.
His high Spirit value had always had a noticeable effect on his recovery. Mental fatigue vanished quickly, emotional strain smoothed itself out, and his body bounced back far faster than any normal human's. It was almost unfair. A built-in buff that made mornings feel effortless.
Zayne placed his hands near his lips, thinking for a moment, then grinned slightly.
"Let's play some morning tunes. Gotta kick off the day with a bam."
His gaze landed on a small speaker tucked neatly into the corner of his room. He grabbed his phone, connected it in seconds, and tapped play.
🎶 I'm gonna make a change 🎶
🎶 For once in my life 🎶
🎶 It's gonna feel real good 🎶
🎶 Gonna make a difference, gonna make it right 🎶
The familiar melody filled the room.
As the tune played on, Zayne started moving—at first just a light sway, then a bit more enthusiasm as he grabbed a mop and began cleaning. He danced casually, shoulders rolling, feet sliding slightly across the floor as he swept and mopped in rhythm.
He was only wearing a pair of shorts and white socks. His upper body was bare, muscles clearly defined beneath smooth skin. His build was powerful, athletic, and refined—not overly bulky, but unmistakably strong. The kind of physique built through discipline rather than obsession.
Grid: I helped too...
🎶 I'm starting with the man in the mirror 🎶
🎶 I'm asking him to change his ways 🎶
🎶 And no message could have been any clearer 🎶
🎶 If you wanna make the world a better place 🎶
🎶 Take a look at yourself and— 🎶
(A/N: Guys, can you guess the song from the lyrics)
Zayne hummed along, spinning the mop once before finishing up far faster than a normal person should have. Minutes later, the room was spotless.
He dropped to the floor immediately afterward, doing a few sets of push-ups, planks, and light core exercises. His breathing remained steady throughout. No strain. No exhaustion.
Afterward, he headed straight into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and came out refreshed.
Breakfast was simple but efficient. Enough fuel to last him through the day.
By the time he was fully dressed and ready, he checked the time.
Last year of school.
"It's my final year anyway," he thought calmly. "Might as well finish it properly. Besides… I did promise them more information today."
With that, he grabbed his bag, stepped outside, and locked the door behind him.
The morning air felt different today—lighter somehow.
He walked toward the bus stop, hands in his pockets, mind already juggling several thoughts at once. Then—
{$140 debited from XXXXX account}
{Bal: $3,000}
Zayne paused mid-step and stared at the notification.
"…Electricity bill."
He let out a slow sigh.
"Sigh~ I'm actually this broke."
His tone was half amused, half ashamed.
Before coming to this world, his wealth had reached absurd levels. Billions in liquid assets alone, spread across multiple accounts, investments, and contingencies. Money had been a tool, something abundant enough that he rarely had to think about it.
Now?
A broke high schooler with three grand to his name.
He shook his head slightly and swiped the notification away.
"I did say I'd start a business," he mused. "But I've been way too busy saving the world."
The irony wasn't lost on him.
"I should really focus on that now. It could help with recruitment too… and honestly, who doesn't love money?"
After a few more minutes of walking, he boarded the bus. The ride took about twenty minutes, just enough time for him to mentally organize several rough business concepts.
When he arrived, the time read 7:12 a.m.
Early.
As he stepped off the bus and made his way toward the school building, he noticed something unusual.
There were already people inside the classroom.
More specifically—
"All of them are here?"
Zayne slowed slightly as realization dawned on him.
"Oh… they came early because of me."
As far as he knew, none of them were usually this punctual. No American teenager willingly arrived early at the one place they simultaneously needed and hated—unless there was a reason.
And that reason was him.
Luck was on their side today. Aside from his new recruits, the classroom was mostly empty. No teachers, no wandering students. A perfect window to interact.
As they started approaching him, Zayne subtly raised a hand.
Before any words could be spoken, his voice echoed directly in their minds.
"After school, guys. Be cautious. The school has cameras, and it's filled with spies. It'd be strange if we all suddenly became close overnight."
They stiffened slightly, surprised by the method—but quickly understood the reasoning behind it.
No objections.
They nodded subtly and returned to their seats, agreeing internally to wait until school ended.
Thirty minutes passed.
More students arrived, conversations filled the room, and soon it was time for the first class.
Everything was normal.
Until Cassidy and Devin walked in.
Then chaos erupted.
Cassidy immediately launched into a full rant—talking about the damage caused during the recent battle, how the Rangers saved the city afterward, and, of course, the mysterious Omni-Ranger.
Zayne: ...
As an aspiring news reporter, Cassidy moved through the classroom with frightening efficiency, collecting opinions left and right. Praise, anger, indifference—she took them all.
Some students admired the Rangers.
Some blamed them for the destruction.
Others didn't care at all.
As long as they weren't the ones being attacked, it wasn't their problem. Everyone had their own struggles.
When Cassidy reached Connor and his group, Connor skillfully dodged her questions, redirecting the conversation smoothly. The others followed suit, backing him up without missing a beat.
Zayne noticed something important.
The method he had used to quell civilian backlash after the chaos was working. There were no protests. No movements demanding the Rangers be shut down.
If that hadn't been handled properly, today would have been far uglier.
Then Cassidy stopped in front of him.
She tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled.
"Hey, cutie. What's your opinion on the recent chaos?"
Zayne, who had been deep in thought about potential business structures, blinked and pointed at himself.
"Me?"
Cassidy chuckled. "Yes, you dummy. Who else would I call 'cutie'?"
Zayne smiled faintly, then spoke.
"I think the Rangers did their best to save everyone," he said calmly. "From the looks of things, they suffered too—just to protect the city. They deserve recognition, not criticism."
The classroom slowly quieted.
"They risk their lives every single time. Not just them, but every hero in this city. We speculate about what they look like under the mask, how they talk, what they hide… but at the end of the day, they're human."
His voice was steady.
"They have families. Friends. People they love. Dreams they haven't given up on. And they don't even get paid for any of this."
Complete silence.
"So instead of insulting them," Zayne concluded, "we should support them."
For several seconds, no one spoke.
Even Cassidy was stunned into silence.
The Rangers—and the Spider-heroes—felt something warm settle in their chests. Gratitude. Validation.
More than that… relief.
They were glad it was Zayne behind the Omni-Ranger mask.
Cassidy snapped out of it and turned sharply to Devin.
"Devin, did you get that?!"
"H-Huh… y-yes!" Devin stammered, blushing under her intense stare.
Everyone understood.
She had just gotten the school's heartthrob to speak at length—and smile at her while doing it.
That moment was definitely going into her personal records.
Zayne ignored the attention afterward and returned to jotting down ideas.
Not long after, the first-period teacher arrived.
Class began.
--- ✦ ---
Several hours and classes later—
Ring! … Ring!!
School was finally over.
Students poured out of the classroom instantly.
The Dino Rangers and Spider-heroes were no exception.
But before they left, Zayne's voice echoed once more in their minds.
"Meet me at the Dino-Lab."
No explanations needed.
They boarded their vehicles and drove off.
Vroom!
Dust kicked up behind them as they left.
After some minutes, they arrived.
Gwen and Peter—despite it being their second visit—were still amazed by the underground base hidden beneath dinosaur ruins.
As the doors opened, they saw Zayne speaking with Tommy Oliver.
"So—"
Zayne stopped mid-sentence and turned toward them.
He said nothing.
Just looked at them.
The silence stretched, making the atmosphere awkward.
They stood their ground.
Well… tried to.
Zayne noticed their strained composure and finally chuckled softly.
"Alright, I'll stop messing with you guys. We're mates, after all."
He raised a hand.
"But before we move on, you'll need to sign this contract."
Golden scrolls materialized midair—one for each of them.
They stared, stunned.
"We're not selling our souls, right?" Ethan asked, half joking, half serious.
Zayne smiled.
"What do you think?"
That only made them more uncertain.
All except one.
"I'm done."
Kira's voice echoed clearly.
Everyone turned toward her in shock.
She had already signed.
"You should all read it first," she added calmly.
They did.
And quickly realized how fair it was.
It bound them only to protect the planet when possible, granted advanced training, power-ups, and gear, and protected Zayne's secret.
Breaking it only erased memories and powers.
For heroes like them, it made perfect sense. They all wanted to safeguard their normal lives from their hero personas
They signed.
Even Dr. Oliver.
Zayne smiled.
"Are you all ready?"
"Ai, ai, captain!" Peter blurted out instinctively.
He froze.
"…Sorry."
No one minded.
Zayne opened a portal.
"It's time to enter a new section of your lives, guys. Let's go."
As they stepped forward, anxiety and anticipation mixed in their hearts.
Questions flooded their minds.
But one thing was certain.
From the moment they accepted Zayne's proposal, their destinies had changed.
Whether for better or worse—
Only the future would tell.
--- ✦ ---
How was the chapter, guys? I hope you are all enjoying the novel. I'm open to reviews and criticism guys.
Power Stones, guys.