'That's enough for today. I don't want to fall back into old habits,' he stretched his arms.
As much as he wanted to keep watching anime, he knew time was a limited commodity.
'What's that smell?'
Sniffing his T-shirt, he realized he didn't just look smelly—he was smelly.
'I should really take baths more often. Water was hard to find during the first couple of years after the invasion.'
Inside the bathroom, he turned the faucet. Water came out with a hiss, splashing into the tub.
He clicked a few buttons, waiting as the temperature gradually rose to comfortable levels.
Once it was warm enough, he tossed in a handful of bubble soap, watching the suds grow and foam, filling the tub with a light, fragrant cloud.
'I'm really lucky to have an aunt like her,'
A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he sank into the water, letting it cover him up to the neck.
He remembered this bathtub well. It was custom-made, ordered from the East, the land of anime.
His uncle didn't like the idea, said it was a waste of money.
But while he was away on a business trip, Effie secretly hired someone to get it installed.
She told him it would be their little secret—just between the two of them.
'Wait... maybe I'm remembering it wrong, but didn't she playfully wink at me back then?' he muttered, squinting at the ceiling.
'No, probably just my imagination. That was years ago.'
Taking his time, he washed every inch of his body, even gargled the running water from the faucet, savoring the moment of peace.
Once finished, he stood in front of the tall mirror and took a good look at himself.
He was pretty thin, except for one thing—the most important part. It was long and thick, which, at least, gave him something to be proud of.
'I need to put on some muscle… I'm way too weak,' he muttered, flexing his fingers. He could barely muster any strength.
It was the outcome of neglecting exercise and living an unhealthy lifestyle.
'It's a miracle I survived the first wave,' he sighed to himself.
Back then, the military rescued him, so he ended up reaching a nuclear bomb shelter in one piece.
'Yeah, I don'twant to experience living in that place again,'
Without wasting any more time, he pulled on black joggers and a loose tank top.
The first thing on his mind was to gain some weight .
Though it would normally take an average person a long time to gain any, he had a surefire way to speed up the process—by up to 20 times.
It was a technique he learned that allowed him to burn protein much faster, and the effects would be even more noticeable, considering his starting point was so low.
'I will need a lot of meat and protein shake' he added, his mind already focused on the next step.
Once fully dressed, he walked toward the stairs, his mind briefly drifting to the house around him.
His uncle's place was above average, featuring four bedrooms, three leisure room, a swimming pool, and a backyard, perfect for BBQ parties.
The four-car carport sat just a step away from the main entrance, offering easy access.
As he descended the stairs, he couldn't help but remember the insane price his uncle paid for it: $5,000,000.
The number seemed high, but it was peanuts compared to future property prices.
A house like this would cost hundreds of millions in the future.
Even he, with his fairly stable income from being a soldier, could only afford a one-bedroom apartment in a compact building that had over 10,000 units.
Only high-ranking Manaborns, the ones pulling in billions per year, could afford a lifestyle like this.
For regular humans, life was much tougher.
Many had to make do with government-subsidized housing, barely scraping by.
In fact, he had been one of those people before he gained his abilities and automatically became eligible to join the military.
Before stepping onto the first floor, he already finished reflecting on the messy future ahead.
'It's really clean,'
He was greeted by the foyer, with the main entrance just a few steps away.
To the right was the formal living room, the office, and a door leading to the pool.
On the left were the dining room, kitchen, and the garage.
Behind him were other reserved rooms, like a small movie theater, a closed-in mini bar where his uncle entertained guests, and a personal gym.
The house was quite large, but there was no live-in maid.
His aunt usually handled the house chores herself, and it rarely got dirty since it was mostly just the two of them.
"Terrence? What's wrong? Did you not like the food?" Effie asked, holding a vacuum cleaner as she went about her chores.
'She's really pretty, even when she's sweating...' he thought, watching her move around.
She was everything a guy could want, and he had to admit, his uncle was lucky to have her.
Most girls with a face like hers would feel entitled, believing their only purpose in life was to be showered with gifts and affection, especially with a well-off husband.
But she was far from that. She diligently kept the house clean and maintained everything with care.
As far as he could remember, there was no record of her cheating.
Then again, he didn't leave his room much, so he couldn't be sure.
"No, Aunt Effie, I just needed some air... and, uh, I have a favor to ask," he said, scratching his hair awkwardly.
He didn't know why, but ever since he came back, old habits were resurfacing.
She turned off the vacuum and looked at him. "What is it?"
"Well…" He paused, thinking it over. "I want to switch to a meat-heavy diet since I'm starting to exercise. So, steak for dinner?"
Her eyes widened slightly, then she smiled and clapped her hands, very pleased with his decision.
"Sure, I'll cook you steak for dinner. How do you want it, and how many pieces?"
"Medium rare is fine, and I want 10 pieces," he requested, knowing it was a bit much.
But she didn't question him; she simply nodded.
That was just how she was—always willing to give him whatever he asked for.
"After I'm done cleaning, I'll head to the convenience store and grab some steak," she smiled, her eyes softening with genuine happiness.
She didn't really expect him to stick with it for long, but that didn't matter .
As long as he showed a bit of effort, she was more than willing to support him.
"Thanks. I'm heading to the gym to get some exercise," he gave slight nod before turning away.
Effie watched his small back, unsure what to make of the sudden change in his behavior.
The way he spoke, the way he moved—it was all different, and hard to miss
'Maybe this time he's actually serious about it,'
The thought made her smile, and she quickly clasped her hand over her mouth to hide it.