Soul Nexus: A Fantasy Tower Ascension LitRPG

The winter air nibbled at me through my clothes as I watched my favorite neon-lit hunting ground. A sea of people shuffled their feet as they walked past the park bench I sat on. Their eyes were glued to the tiny, light-emitting boxes, known as cell phones, which consumed their attention. Oblivious to my existence, they walked, possessed, as captivating streams of images danced before their eyes.

They don’t know how good they have it. Everything they want to know and see is at their fingertips. A warm home to return to. Never having to worry about finding enough money to eat for the week. The world is their oyster, and I’m just a discarded rock nobody pays attention to. What's a homeless girl like me to do to survive?

But when I looked down at the small puddle of ice, I saw my reflection mocking me. Big, almond-shaped brown eyes stared back at me. An innocent smile, attempting to hide the pain of my loneliness. I kept my braided, silky, ashen hair tucked into my hoodie. By most metrics, I was pretty. I’ve even had the coveted hourglass figure. But something about me left me forgettable and ignored, no matter how much I tried to get people to remember me.

I eyed a particularly obnoxious girl with honey-blonde hair. She talked with someone on speakerphone while scrolling through some images on her phone. I couldn’t understand what she was talking about. The constant stream of pop culture jargon didn’t even sound like complete sentences. And it was all made worse by how high and squeaky her voice was.

I stood up from the bench that I had been watching the crowds from. She’ll make a perfect target for tonight. It looks like she’s got the latest model, too. I pulled my hoodie tighter around my face and walked in front of Blondie. The crisp night air of December guaranteed everyone was wearing gloves. The person on the other end of Blondie's phone said something about a curfew, causing her to groan, lower her phone, and throw her head back with a stomp like a child’s tantrum. I swiftly stepped up and snatched her phone from her grasp. With a feat of dexterity that surprised even me, I ended the call and silenced the device without looking at it before the person on the other end got a word out.

Like taking candy from a baby.

The girl didn’t stand a chance once I had buried the phone in my pocket, spun around, and walked with my head down. She screamed about how she was robbed, but I kept my smirk to myself. Most people ignored her, but a few tried to calm her down so they could help her.

It’s amazing how people can overlook you if you don’t bring attention to yourself. And that was precisely how I’d survived on my own. As soon as I went down a quiet alley, I pulled out the phone. It was still unlocked, but there were two missed calls from someone labeled "Mom."

Well, there goes that idea. I pulled out a small screwdriver from my other pocket. After I popped the casing off, I removed the battery and the SIM card. The SIM card hit the ground, and I kicked it down the drain as I pocketed the battery and the phone separated. A GPS needed batteries, and the SIM card was useless. At least that’s what Berry told me.

That was the deal: I stole the phones, and Berry wiped them before pawning them. I get a cut to buy food, clothes, and sometimes, a motel room for a couple nights. I never once told everyone in high school that I would be a petty thief when I grew up, but here I am.

Stealing phones was never my original idea. I thought I could take watches or jewelry. But no, people actually pay attention and keep that stuff safe. After hearing some of the horror stories, I wasn't about to start breaking and entering. People have security systems and cameras. I’d be put in jail in a heartbeat. Cell phones, on the other hand, are everywhere, and everyone is extremely careless with them. They'd leave them out, behind, or someplace charging all the time. You’d think with the money they spent on them, they’d take care of them.

Nope. Cracked screens, blown speakers, and water damage. The list goes on. If they’re so careless with them, and they likely have insurance that’ll replace them, I’ll just take and sell them for something to eat and a place to sleep for a few nights.

When I looked out and saw a couple of guys making out on a bench, I noticed one of them left their phone sitting out in the open. Case in point. I scooped it up without either of them being the wiser. When I tucked myself into a different alley, I examined my loot. It was locked without a password.

I swiped it open and spoiled myself a bit. It was my guilty pleasure to take any of the phones I stole and look through their photos. All my life, I’ve been trapped in this city. There’s a world I’ve never seen and likely never will.

The pictures on the phone were full of the two guys, who must have just been on vacation together. There were tons of pictures of them on a cruise ship. They had visited several islands and had many dishes that looked more like art than food. They appeared happy. Every picture had one or the other, sometimes both, smiling and posing for the camera. They don’t know how good they have it.

But the longer I looked through the pictures, the more frustrated I got. How could they never take one picture of a sunrise or sunset? Why do they only take pictures of each other? I don't want to see people; I see people all the time. I want to see the world. The pictures of the food were cool, but I quickly got tired of seeing them kiss, dance, and pose for the camera.

Annoyed, I performed my ritual of dismantling the phone. It was the closest I could ever get to my own happiness and seeing the rest of the world.

I tried to have a normal life. After high school, I tried to get into college, but all my applications came with the tuition bill. Any attempt at scholarships or loans was a waste of time. They never responded to me. It was the same story every time I attempted to apply for a job. It was like I was a ghost, forever doomed to be ignored.

Being ignored is great when you’re a thief, but I don’t like being a thief. I want to be normal. Dating was even worse than applying for a job. After being stood up on a half dozen dates and reintroducing myself to a couple of them, I stopped trying.

There were no other easy targets, as I headed towards Berry’s pawn shop. With my current haul, I decided not to press my luck. A neon sign with “Berry’s Bits and Bobs” barely hung over the door to the store.

He keeps telling me he’s going to secure that, but it’ll take falling on someone before he does. And that’s only if he survives the lawsuit that follows.

As I pushed open the door, the jingling bell echoed through the air, drawing my attention to the state of the store. It appeared cluttered and disorderly, leading one to believe that its owner was nothing but a slob. However, amidst the chaos, a captivating sight awaited me—a handsome man stood behind the register, his gaze fixed upon the cash register.

"Hello, Berry." Like clockwork, I have to announce myself if I want any attention. Even to Berry.

“Hello, how can I help you." I pulled back my hoodie. "Ah, Rina. It’s so good to see you.” He held out his arms as if he wanted to hug me from across the store. While the man set a record for neglecting his store, his appearance was the exact opposite. He wore a black suit jacket over his white polo and black slacks. His slicked-back, black hair shone from the obvious heavy application of hair gel. Stylish, no-rimmed glasses sat on his face, with clean-shaven cheeks pulled into the widest smile he could. “I didn’t expect you today. You hit the casino tonight?”

I shook my head as I pulled my hoodie back. The heat, at least, was on and helped ease the tingling in my toes. “Berry, it’s Wednesday. Security is tighter during the late-night hours. Tomorrow is the best day to go. It’s the slowest day, but their staff is all tired and at its thinnest.”

Berry chuckled as he slapped his hand on the counter. “Well, don’t leave me in suspense. Come on, let’s see the goods.” I placed the two phones on the counter and the batteries next to them. “Someone’s had a good day.” His eyes lit up when he saw the phone I took from the girl. “Oh, what have we got here? Someone’s been naughty.” He picked up the phone. “This model’s barely been out two weeks, and you’ve already clipped one. Color me impressed.”

I rolled my eyes. “Well, the chick sounded like a spoiled brat. Mommy and Daddy will buy her a new one.”

Berry gave me a smirk as he glanced at me from the corners of his eyes. “Careful, you almost sound like you enjoyed yourself. You're what, nineteen? There's no reason to be this cynical.”

I flinched. It’s not like I do this because it’s fun. This is out of necessity. And it's not my fault the world keeps forgetting I exist constantly. You still do it from time to time. Through a great deal of self-control, I kept my thoughts to myself.

“Just give me my cut. I imagine one of those will go for at least a grand.” I crossed my arms and glared at Berry.

He nodded. “Unlocked, used versions go for fifteen hundred.” I started drooling. “Since our agreement was twenty-five percent, add that to your second prize, and that puts you at, oh, five hundred.”

“Five hundred?” I swallowed hard. “That’s a whole week. I can stay for a whole week at a motel with that.”

Berry scooped up the phones. “And here I was about to tell you not to spend it all in one place.” He opened his register and pulled out twenty-five twenties. “Here you go, kid. Go, get yourself something to eat.”

I plunged the money into my front pocket and hurried towards the door. But I stopped at the door and turned to see Berry still smiling. “Thanks!” I waved as I left.

I guess that was why I kept going back to him. While the man was obviously breaking the law, he genuinely cared about me. He’s one of the few people who can remember me, most of the time.

A huge smile spread across my face as I almost skipped towards the nearest restaurant. I didn’t even bother to lift my hood.

“Rina Lone?” A voice called out from behind me.

I turned to see a man in a black trench coat. The wide-brim hat that was pulled forward also partially covered his face. His hands were also buried in his pockets.

“Who’s asking?” Something about him felt off. Nobody ever calls my name first, let alone include my last name.

He pulled out a pistol with a silencer on it. My eyes exploded when he leveled it at me. “I’ll take that as a ‘yes.’” The man lifted his head, and while he was average-looking, the grin on his face was terrifying. Even stranger were his eyes. They were two black pits.

I turned and ran.

There was a pop, and a woman in front of me fell backwards as her chest opened with a tiny hole. There was another pop. This time, a guy on the other side of me took the bullet. I dove into the alley when the third pop sounded. The wall on my right cracked, and I heard the bullet ricochet. At that point, everyone else started running and screaming.

There’s a guy following me with a gun, killing people while attempting to kill me! Why me? I don’t know him. Until now, nobody ever cared that I existed. What’s changed?

The answers to my questions would have to wait. The guy followed me into the alley. My leg exploded in pain as he fired another shot. I fell to the ground and saw the blood flowing from my thigh. It burned, but he was still following me. I tried to crawl, but his footsteps continued to close in. People outside the alley were still running and screaming, but not one person came to my rescue.

I rolled over. “Why? What have I done? I don’t even know who you are.”

The man lowered his weapon and shrugged. “Look, you have to die. I have orders to make sure you do. Now, hold still, and I’ll make it quick.”

Tears rolled down my cheeks. “Please, I don’t want to die.”

“People rarely get what they want, but that’s not my call to make.” The man lifted the gun to my head. I shook as I closed my eyes and cried. “Nor is it yours.”

Time seemed to slow down. There was a click and a sudden feeling of warmth on my forehead. But then, everything was gone. Nothing. There wasn’t any doubt. I died.

At least it was quick. I didn’t even feel anything.

…

Wait! I’m thinking?