Meeting Sanchez.

Hugo woke up the next morning, feeling the familiar sensation of drool pooling on his pillow. 

His eyes blinked open to the sight of a bright, cheery system notification hovering in his field of vision:

[Ding! 27 Days Left Until Eradication!]

He groaned, slapping his face in a futile attempt to wake up fully. "Oh, come on..."

His mind raced with the kind of chaotic thoughts only someone facing total eradication could have. 

'Twenty-seven days? That's less time than it takes me to binge an entire anime series! I could be dead before they even release the next season of Demon Slayer!'

He tried to shake it off, but every time he thought about it, the countdown loomed larger. 

His crazy thoughts also spiralled to even worse regions...

'Twenty-seven days... maybe less if I get hit by a bus or choke on a chicken nugget or something. What if I die eating fast food? That's so tragic!'

After spending another few minutes trying to calm his anxiety, he felt his mind clear to some extent.

He dragged himself out of bed, still grumbling about the unfairness of life—or lack thereof—and remembered his meeting with Sanchez, his ridiculously rich cousin, later that day.

'Okay, focus. I'll learn from Sanchez. Maybe, just maybe, he can turn this hot mess around.'

Hugo was definitely eager and excited about today's meeting with his cousin. He had personally experienced his cousin's skills and felt that he was a god of game. 

Or at least an elder in the Supreme Sect of Rizz...

To be mentored by such a person gave him a lot of hope, so he got ready as fast as he could.

Hugo threw on some clothes, threw back an energy drink, and hustled out the door.

_____

Hugo stepped out of his Uber, mouth agape as he took in the sight of Sanchez's mansion. 

The mansion wasn't just a mansion; it looked like the kind of place that belonged on a Cribs episode featuring celebs who had more money than sense. 

The driveway was lined with manicured palm trees, and in the middle of it all was a massive, shimmering pool that looked like it could host an Olympic event. 

It was bigger than the entire dorm Hugo lived in!

Then his eyes landed on the lime-green Lamborghini truck parked out front. The thing was so flashy it looked like it had driven straight out of a cartoon—like someone had turned a giant highlighter into a car.

It looked so cool, he didn't want to take his eyes away.

Hugo was practically vibrating with envy. Why did Sanchez need a green Lambo truck? Who needs to go that fast to the grocery store?

As Hugo approached the entrance, Sanchez sauntered out to meet him, looking like a million bucks—literally. 

He was wearing a designer bathrobe, even though he was just chilling at home, and his sunglasses were so expensive they could probably pay off Hugo's student loans.

"Hugo! My man!" Sanchez's voice boomed as if they were in the middle of a boxing ring.

Hugo, feeling a little underdressed in his hoodie and jeans, gave an awkward smile. "Hey, Sanchez... nice place."

"Nice?" Sanchez scoffed. "Nah, it's legendary. But you're right, it is nice. Come on in. You've gotta meet the team."

Hugo followed Sanchez inside, where an entire squad of ridiculously attractive people greeted him. 

There was a guy in a fitted blazer who looked like he belonged on the cover of GQ, a woman who could be a Victoria's Secret model, and a few others that looked equally too-good-for-this-world.

"And, oh, Lisa's around somewhere," Sanchez added with a smirk. "She's, uh… special."

Hugo was so overwhelmed by the grandeur of it all, he barely noticed Sanchez's sly tone. 

The house was pure luxury: marble floors, chandeliers that looked like they belonged in Versailles, and enough high-end furniture to make IKEA weep. 

In the corner, there was a huge trophy cabinet, filled with gold records, awards, and what looked suspiciously like a Grammy.

Hold on, a Grammy?

Hugo didn't have time to verify the credibility of the award before he got dragged away once more.

Sanchez led him through the grand halls of his mansion, dropping little hints along the way that Hugo couldn't quite piece together.

"So, Hugo," Sanchez said with a smirk, "I heard you've been, uh... soaking up the sun lately?"

Hugo froze for a second, blinking. "Uh... what do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing," Sanchez said nonchalantly, guiding Hugo through the hall. 

"Just... you know... heard you got caught sunbathing naked, attempting suicide by drowning, and making quite the mess. Quite the bold move, my friend."

Hugo felt his face heat up. "W-What?! Who told you that?"

Sanchez let out a low chuckle, his eyes hidden behind his reflective sunglasses. "Let's just say I have a source—specifically, a sexy nurse who saw your bathing session. She described it as unique."

Hugo's stomach flipped. "Oh God... the nurse told you, didn't she?"

Sanchez burst out laughing, clapping Hugo on the back so hard he almost knocked the air out of him. 

"Bro, she said you looked like you were auditioning for Cirque du Soleil. She said she's seen some weird hospital stuff, but you? You're in a whole other league."

Hugo groaned, burying his face in his hands. "I'm going to die of embarrassment before anything else kills me."

Sanchez chuckled again, clearly enjoying every second of Hugo's misery. "Man, forget about it. Own it! You're practically an avant-garde performance artist at this point."

"It was that hateful system! It wasn't me! I wasn't... voluntarily sunbathing!" Hugo protested weakly in his mind, but he couldn't bring himself to say them out loud lest Sanchez thought he was both crazy and an exhibitionist. 

Sanchez laughed again, throwing an arm around Hugo's shoulder. "It's cool, man. Honestly, I could use some of that... whatever it was. Might come in handy for other things."

Hugo shot him a horrified look. He knew Sanchez was talking about the plate unlock pills that had made him feel euphoria. 

What he didn't know or want to know was what other things Sanchez wanted it for.

"I don't think that's how it works..."

"Relax," Sanchez said, waving it off. "Anyway, enough about your exotic sunbathing skills. I've got something to show you."

With that, Sanchez led Hugo down a long hallway and towards a spiral staircase that descended into what Hugo could only describe as a billionaire's basement.

When they reached the bottom, Hugo's jaw dropped. 

The basement was massive, more like a futuristic bunker than a basement. There was a private bar, a home theatre with reclining seats, arcade machines, and rows upon rows of high-tech gadgets that Hugo couldn't even begin to identify.

"You live down here?" Hugo asked, still in awe.

"Nah, I just hang out here when I'm feeling bored." Sanchez winked, clearly relishing in Hugo's amazement. "But enough about that. You're gonna love this."

He pushed open a door at the far end of the basement, revealing an even more secretive room. It was filled with even more cutting-edge tech, glowing neon lights, and what looked like a virtual reality setup.

"I've got a surprise for you, Hugo," Sanchez said, his grin widening. "Something that's going to change the game for you."

Hugo gulped, suddenly feeling very, very nervous. "Should I be scared?"

Sanchez laughed. "Maybe. But trust me, this is going to be epic."