Reincarnated With a Cheat System

Chapter 6: The Little Monster's Prank

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the Nishiki estate, and the peaceful quiet of the house was only broken by the occasional chirp of birds outside. Phyro was sitting on the his bed, gazing outside, his mind restless. He had been training non-stop for the past few days, and while his strength had grown, the boredom of routine was starting to wear him down.

He glanced over at Nico, who was bouncing on the other side of the bed, clearly just as eager to shake off the monotony. Phyro smirked, an idea forming in his mind. They'd always been the mischievous duo—he couldn't pass up the chance to pull off a prank, especially with his newfound powers. And today, his target was none other than Klein, his older brother, who had been training tirelessly since they sparred this morning.

Klein, tired from there training session had decided to take a nap in the common room. He had left his sword opposite of him

resting against the wall next to his training gear. This was perfect. Phyro and Nico had a little surprise waiting for him.

"Alright, you ready?" Phyro asked with a grin, his eyes glinting with excitement.

Nico's eyes widened, a mischievous glint dancing in her expression. "You really think this will work?"

"Just trust me," Phyro replied, his smile widening.

Using Editor, Phyro quietly focused on Klein's sword. In an instant, the blade morphed into a limp, rubbery mess, its shape unrecognizable and utterly useless. Next, he turned his attention to Klein's clothes. The once-sturdy, practical training gear was replaced by bright, garish pink clothing—oversized pants that hung low and a shirt so loud it could practically burn someone's eyes. He couldn't help but laugh quietly as he finished setting up the perfect prank.

"Is it too much?" Nico asked, holding her giggle back.

Phyro just winked. "It's never enough."

"We should go hide," Nico whispered, her excitement bubbling. "He'll be up soon!"

The two of them ducked out of sight, crouching in the hallway as they waited for Klein to wake up.

It wasn't long before Klein shifted in his sleep, groaning as he sat up. He rubbed his eyes, clearly still groggy. The moment he stood and reached for his sword, the limp, rubbery mess didn't just surprise him—it completely confused him. He swung it once and watched it flop like a piece of soft rubber. His face twisted in confusion.

"What the—?" Klein muttered, holding up the absurd sword in disbelief. He looked around, his eyes landing on the pile of pink clothes on the floor, and his confusion deepened.

"No way…" He picked up the clothes, his eyes narrowing. "What the hell is this?"

He frowned, looking at his sword as if it had betrayed him His face twisted in a mix of confusion and frustration as he realized what had happened. His gear, his sword, and now, his clothes—everything had been tampered with.

"Phyro!" Klein shouted. "Nico!" His voice was loud and incredulous, the shock in his tone evident. He stood up quickly, but the moment he did, he noticed that all his carefully arranged training equipment had disappeared. In its place were nothing but his pink outfit and a useless sword. "I swear, when I find you—!"

Phyro and Nico couldn't hold it anymore. They burst out laughing from around the corner, and it was like a dam breaking. Klein's face went red with embarrassment and anger, but the two of them could barely contain themselves as they saw him trying to figure out how to make the rubber sword work. The absurdity of the situation was too much.

"Oh, come on! This is perfect!" Nico laughed, clutching her stomach.

"You're gonna look fabulous, Klein!" Phyro teased, practically in tears from laughing so hard.

Klein's frown deepened, and he turned on the two of them, his hands clenched into fists, but before he could retaliate, the unmistakable sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway. The door to the room swung open, and Ayaka entered, her brow furrowed in concern. She had been running errands and seemed frazzled, but seeing the chaos before her took her stress to an entirely new level.

"What's going on here?" Ayaka demanded, her voice cold as she took in the scene.

At the sight of his mother, Phyro's laughter faltered, but Nico wasn't so quick to stop. She giggled even more as she pointed at Klein, who stood there in the middle of the room, his face flushed red and the rubber sword dangling uselessly at his side. Phyro, still snickering, met his mother's gaze, but he knew what was coming.

"You two—" Ayaka's voice trembled with fury, but what came next shocked Phyro and Nico to their core. "You've gone too far this time. This is childish and disrespectful! Klein is about to leave soon, and you two are wasting time on this stupid prank instead of helping him get ready! This isn't funny, Phyro! It isn't funny at all!"

Phyro's stomach dropped. The scolding wasn't just sharp—it was biting, filled with frustration and anger that cut through him like a knife. "I'm so sorry, I didn't—"

"No!" Ayaka's voice was almost a shout, and her eyes were wild with a mix of exhaustion and anger. "You think this is funny? You think it's a joke that your brother is about to leave, and all you do is waste time and make his life harder?! You—" Ayaka's voice cracked as the words tumbled out. "I don't even know who you are anymore! This isn't the boy I raised! What happened to you, Phyro?!"

The words hit him like a physical blow, and his chest tightened. He couldn't speak. His mother's words hung in the air, like an accusation he couldn't erase. The weight of her disappointment crushed him.

"Stop it, Mom," Klein said quietly, his usual teasing nature gone. He stood beside Ayaka, trying to calm her down, but his voice was filled with a rawness that Phyro had never heard before. "It's not their fault. It's my fault for leaving them to do it. They didn't mean any harm."

Ayaka sighed, closing her eyes in frustration. She took a deep breath, and when she opened her eyes again, they were filled with regret. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I'm just… under a lot of stress with everything going on. I didn't mean to say such harsh things." She paused, her gaze softening as she looked at Phyro. "I just want you to understand how important this time is. I need you to help, not make things harder."

Phyro felt the sting of his mother's words, but deep down, he knew she didn't mean them. She was just overwhelmed. The thought made him feel even worse. She had always carried the weight of the world on her shoulders, and sometimes, he had been too focused on his own little pranks to see that.

Klein ruffled Phyro's hair with a small, affectionate smile. "You really are a little monster, you know that?"

For a moment, Phyro felt the weight lift from his chest, and despite everything, he couldn't help but smile. A little monster. It wasn't much, but to him, it was everything. He wasn't just the kid who got in trouble; he was part of this family. The one who made it laugh. The one who would help when things got tough.

"Sorry, Klein," Phyro said softly. "I didn't mean to make things harder."

"It's alright," Klein replied with a sigh, his tone light again. "But seriously, no more rubber swords, alright?"

Ayaka gave a tired smile, her hand resting on Phyro's shoulder. "Just… no more pink clothes next time, okay?"

Phyro nodded sheepishly. "Deal."

As the tension eased and laughter started to return, Phyro couldn't help but reflect on how different things were now. This was his family—his real family. For the first time in his life, he had people who cared, who got angry, but who also loved him enough to let him get away with a prank. And that, for Phyro, was everything.

He had been alone in his old life—utterly, painfully alone. The days had blended together in an endless stream of meetings, deadlines, and endless paperwork. The only comfort had been the routine of his work, the certainty of the office, the predictable nature of each day. It was all he had.

His friends? Nonexistent. In his world, friendships were superficial things—mere acquaintances made in passing. They exchanged pleasantries in the halls, but the moment the workday ended, the connection was severed. He never fit in. Every social event felt like a chore, a burden he forced himself to attend, pretending to enjoy the company of others when, in truth, he barely knew anyone. No one really understood him, and he never tried to understand them. There was no room for that in his life. Not when deadlines loomed and the weight of expectations bore down on him every waking moment.

Even his wife, the one person he thought he could rely on, had grown distant. At first, he had convinced himself that the cracks in their relationship were just part of the struggle—just temporary obstacles that would pass with time. But those cracks grew deeper, splitting everything apart.

She had told him, one cold evening, that she was tired of it all. "I don't know you anymore," she had said, her voice trembling with anger and hurt. "You're always working. Always busy. You don't care about anything but that damn job."

He hadn't understood. He had tried to explain, to rationalize, to make her see that it was for their future—that he was doing it all for them. But the words felt hollow. Empty. She had looked at him with disappointment in her eyes, as if he were the stranger in their own home.

"I'm tired, Akira. I'm tired of waiting. I need someone who sees me. Who listens to me. You're not the man I married anymore."

And that had been it. Their marriage shattered like glass, the pieces scattering to the winds. He had tried to fight for it, but the more he reached out, the further she slipped away. In the end, it wasn't enough. She found solace in someone else's arms—someone who gave her attention, someone who was present, someone who didn't drown in the suffocating demands of work.

He had tried to bury the pain, tried to ignore it. But it stayed with him, gnawing at the edges of his soul, whispering reminders of his failure. His mother had passed away not long before everything fell apart, and he had felt a dull ache in his chest—the final piece of his foundation crumbling away. The one person who had truly cared about him, who had loved him unconditionally, was gone. And he had nothing left but the echo of her voice, her warmth now only a memory.

His job had been his only constant, but it was a hollow substitute for human connection. He poured himself into it, just to feel something other than the crushing loneliness. But it wasn't enough. Nothing was.

Now, in this new world, it was different. He had a family. He had a brother, a sister, and a mother who cared for him—who loved him. The emptiness that had defined his old life felt far away.

He couldn't help but compare the life he had now with the one he had left behind. The warmth of his mother's voice as she scolded him felt so much more real than the hollow words he'd heard from his wife. The playful teasing from Klein, the mischievous glint in Nico's eyes—it was all so new. So foreign. And yet, it felt like home.

For the first time, Phyro felt like he belonged somewhere. He wasn't just a cog in the machine. He wasn't alone. He had family here, people who genuinely cared about him.

The thought made his heart tighten. He wasn't sure he deserved it—not after everything he'd done in his past life. But in this new world, he would try. He would do whatever it took to make sure he never felt that loneliness again.

His eyes flickered toward his mother, who was still talking to Klein, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her lips despite her earlier frustration. She had scolded him, but there was love in her voice. She was upset, yes, but she cared. That was enough for Phyro.

He closed his eyes, letting the sound of his family's voices wash over him. He was ready to embrace this new life, to live it fully. After all, this was the life he had now. And he would make the most of it.