Just a Guy and a Gate to the Multiverse - Chapter 1 (Patreon)

Chapter 1 - Trough the Gate

The dinner rush refuses to die.

I stare at the newest order ticket hanging above the counter and seriously consider pretending I haven't seen it. Unfortunately, Chef Roland stands only a few meters away, which makes that particular strategy impossible.

"Table fourteen. Two grilled chicken plates, one steak with roasted potatoes, and a Caesar salad."

"Got it, Chef."

My answer comes automatically alongside those of my colleagues as I carry another crate of vegetables toward the preparation station.

The kitchen remains just as loud and chaotic as it has been for the last several hours.Pans sizzle across the stovetops while cooks rush between stations carrying ingredients and finished dishes. Servers push through the swinging doors every few seconds, either delivering new orders or demanding updates on existing ones. The constant noise blends together until it becomes one endless wall of sound.

Most people only see the dining room.

Customers sit beneath warm lights at polished wooden tables while soft music plays in the background. The restaurant has a reputation for serving some of the best food in the city. It isn't the kind of place that serves bizarre experimental dishes or gold-covered steaks. Instead, it focuses on making familiar meals exceptionally well.

Steaks, roasted chicken, fresh pasta, seafood, soups, and salads.

Simple dishes from all over the world, prepared with expensive, high-quality ingredients and obsessive attention to detail and craftsmanship.

People love it.

Yet I hate working here.

Maybe that sounds unfair.

The restaurant itself isn't bad. The food is excellent, the staff knows what they're doing, and the customers are usually polite. And I am learning a lot.

The problem is everything else, whether it's the long hours, the endless pressure, or simply the fact that I spend most of my day running around like an overworked pack mule.

As an apprentice, I occupy the lowest position in the kitchen hierarchy. Whenever somebody needs help, they call me. Whenever an unpleasant task appears, it somehow becomes my responsibility.

I carry ingredients, clean equipment, peel vegetables, wash dishes, and organize storage shelves.

Sometimes I even get to do actual cooking. Those moments are surprisingly rare, although they become more common as I near the end of my second year of training and prepare to enter my final year.

"Matt!"

I look up immediately. At this point, it's an instinctive response.

Chef Roland points toward a stack of dirty trays.

"Those should have been cleaned ten minutes ago."

I glance at the mountain of peeled vegetables already sitting at my station.

"Right away, Chef."

His eyes narrow. I wisely decide not to say anything else. It's simply part of the job.

The next hour crawls by.

Orders continue arriving without mercy while the kitchen fights to keep pace. Every time we clear one backlog, another appears almost immediately.

By the time I finally look at the clock, it's nearly time for my shift to end.

A wave of relief washes over me.

Then reality reminds me that apprentices don't get to leave immediately. Cleaning still remains.

Of course the cleaning remains.

The restaurant could be on fire, and somebody would probably still expect the apprentices to mop the floors afterward. Sure, hygiene is essential in this business, but the claim that this is supposed to be an integral part of an apprentice's training to ingrain that fact is obviously just an excuse to push the work onto me.

I spend the next forty minutes scrubbing counters, cleaning equipment, sweeping floors, and organizing supplies for tomorrow's shift. My arms feel heavy by the end, and my legs complain every time I take another step.

Eventually, however, the work finally ends.

I stand motionless for several seconds just to enjoy the feeling.

No orders, no shouting, no new tasks, nothing. It's finally over.

One of the line cooks walks past while removing his apron.

"You look dead."

"I feel dead."

He laughs.

"See you tomorrow."

The words somehow sound more threatening than friendly. Even if it wasn't meant that way.

I change into my regular clothes and stuff my uniform into the locker.

The moment I remove the apron, I feel slightly more human.

Only slightly.

When I step outside, the cool night air hits my face and immediately improves my mood.

The restaurant is still busy.

Through the large front windows, I can see customers enjoying their meals while servers move between tables carrying trays filled with food. Several people laugh together near the entrance, completely unaware of the chaos hidden behind the kitchen doors.

Lucky them.

I shove my hands into my pockets and start walking.

My apartment isn't far away, which is one of the few things I appreciate about my current situation. It's also quite affordable, allowing me to set aside most of my earnings.

The streets remain lively despite the late hour.

Cars roll through intersections while groups of friends wander between restaurants and bars. The city feels relaxed and comfortable in a way the kitchen never does.

I envy that.

Most days, I feel like I spend my entire life either working or recovering from work.As I walk, my thoughts drift toward a question that has become increasingly common lately.Is that all there is to life? Is this really worth it?

Honestly, this is simply the best option available to me among many worse alternatives. I've always enjoyed cooking since my time at the orphanage. However, on a professional level, the happiness I normally feel from completing a dish is missing. All I have is the stress because the next order is already waiting. It takes all the fun out of cooking.

Thanks to working in a successful restaurant, the pay is actually decent, but taxes take a significant portion of it. With prices continuing to rise, the money left over for me keeps shrinking. Funnily enough, some people who don't work receive almost as much from the state as I do.

So is it really worth it?

Sure, my pay will improve once I finish my training, but I still have no idea. At the same time, I don't want to become a parasite on society.

After my parents died early, the options available to me in life were drastically reduced. With my limited finances, I couldn't afford to attend a university and had to start working at fifteen as soon as I finished mandatory schooling. I even finished a year early having skipped a grade.

Although I had the grades to continue studying and potentially get into a great university I didn't get a scholarship and had no money. Sure, I wasn't at the very top of every subject, but that's normal. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Even so, I was always among the top quarter of my class.

At least I thought choosing something I genuinely enjoyed, like cooking, would make everything more bearable.

Yet here I am.

Instead, I'm starting to hate cooking.

And I might have to keep doing it for more than four decades. If my government's plans become reality, then it could be more than five decades. Over fifty years while the world gradually turns to shit.

I hate this.

A few minutes later, my apartment building comes into view.

The aging structure looks unimpressive compared to the expensive buildings surrounding the restaurant district, but seeing it still brings a sense of relief.

Home is home.

I climb the stairs to the third floor and stop in front of my apartment door.

After pulling out my keys, I unlock the door and step inside.

The apartment is small enough that I can see most of it from the entrance. A tiny kitchen occupies one corner while a worn couch sits opposite an outdated TV flatscreen I got from the second hand store. The bedroom waits beyond a narrow hallway.

It isn't much.

At that moment, I couldn't care less.

I step fully inside and close the door behind me.

The noise of the city vanishes. For the first time all day, nobody needs anything from me.

Yet I still don't feel better.

Is this really all life has to offer? Slaving away day after day while fat, corrupt politicians waste my taxes.

Am I depressed simply because I want more? Simply because I crave something different from slowly crawling toward retirement, only to finally enjoy life when I'm old and frail?

[ Loading... ]

Great, now I'm hallucinating. There's a glowing screen floating in front of my face. Obviously, I'm overworked...

[ Congratulations, you won! The Multiversal Lottery will fulfill your deepest desire. ]

Uhh, what?

This has to be a joke.

Why can I touch the screen? Am I going insane? Is this schizophrenia? Can it even affect my sense of touch? That would be fucking terrifying. I have honestly no idea about that Illness...

But a Multiversal Lottery? Seriously? My deepest desire?

This has to be a product of my imagination.

You know what? I'm going to skip work tomorrow. My doctor should be able to give me sick leave for a day.

I'm seeing things. Clearly, something is wrong with me.

[ Do you accept? Yes / No ]

Now there are even buttons.

This isn't real, right? Just a delusion.

At least I don't hear voices telling me to kill people. For now.

I don't want to be insane.

But... what if I'm not imagining things?

What if this is actually real?

With a bit of hesitation, I lift my hand and press my finger against the [Yes] button. As soon as I touch it, the letters rearrange themselves and another message appears.

[ The ROB responsible for your Lottery Reward has decided to fulfill your deepest desire by granting you ultimate freedom and the chance to live your life however you like. ]

A Random Omnipotent being?

Is this a fanfiction or what?

Ultimate freedom?

What does that even look like?

This has to be my imagination... this could mean anything.

I don't see a massive pile of cash filling my room, which could certainly qualify as ultimate freedom in this reality. My banking app doesn't have a notification about a huge deposit either.

Is it supposed to be metaphorical or something?

[ Skill Granted: Multiversal Gate Lvl. 1 ][ Multiversal Gate Lvl. 1: This Skill allows the User to open a Gate from their current location to any place and time period in the Multiverse that the User can think of. At its current level, the Skill has several limitations. First, it has a cooldown of one year, and only one person can pass through. Most importantly, the Skill will forcefully activate itself in 24 hours and transport the User to a random location if it has not been used before the time limit expires. ]

To be honest, I would still say I'm imagining things if not for the fact that, at the same time I read

that Skill description, the corresponding knowledge burns itself into my mind.

I just learned how to open a gate into the Multiverse.

I can literally feel it.

Although, freedom my ass.

A 24-hour time limit before I have to leave whether I want to or not?

Yeah, I get it. It's supposed to give me a push so I won't hesitate. But still, the freedom to choose when I leave would have been nice.

Not that I wouldn't choose to leave. A lot of places are more interesting than whatever I currently have in my life.

Still, having the chance to make proper preparations without a time limit would have been nice.

After all, I first have to decide where I'm supposed to go.

What's the smartest choice here?

More importantly, can I even learn something like Magic, Nen, Haki, Ki, or Chakra?

None of those things exist in my world beyond fiction.

[ Skill Granted: World Attunement Lvl. 1 ][ World Attunement Lvl. 1: This Skill allows the User to adapt their own body or another person's body to the current Universe they are in. It grants the User the average talent of the people living in that World, enabling them to use its corresponding power systems. This Skill has a cooldown of five years.Passive Effect: The User understands the local Language of the World he travels to. ]

Thank you. That explains that.

Good thing I have this Skill, even with a cooldown of five years.

Although having only average talent isn't exactly ideal, especially in one of those more dangerous universes.

Five years is a damn long time.

Well, in the end, it's just a matter of proper planning.

I'm going to be busy for the next 24 hours, aren't I?

And I'm so fucking exhausted after work.

Moving to another world while sleep-deprived and exhausted would be stupid.

But before I can get some sleep, there are a few things I need to do.

After all, I shouldn't waste my remaining time either and use it as productive as possible.

———

'Where are you? Your shift started an hour ago! I need you here!'

Just reading that text message from my boss annoys me. He didn't even acknowledge my response. 'Sorry, I'm overworked. The Doc prescribed me some rest. You'll get my sick note tomorrow.'

Instead, he sent me a flood of additional messages afterward, even threatening to fire me. I haven't had time to read them all, though. I've simply been too busy.

Not that I care anymore.

My preparations are pretty much complete. I'm just doing one final check to make sure I actually have everything, since I don't expect to be returning to this place.

I have almost no attachments to this world. My family is dead, and as a poor orphan, it was always difficult to make friends during my time at school. That left its mark on me. There isn't anybody I'm particularly close to.

Oh, I'm not a loner.

But rather than friends, I would describe most people I know as friendly acquaintances. There isn't really anything keeping me here.

The last twenty-two hours have been a blur of preparation.

Before going to sleep last night, I spent almost two hours setting up downloaders to pirate a massive collection of manga, anime, games, software, TV series, movies, novels, and other literature onto my laptop. I expanded the collection I already had with everything I could get my hands on.

Of course, I didn't limit myself to fiction, especially when it came to books, since they download much faster due to their smaller file sizes.

I've gathered survival guides, scientific books covering everything from botany to physics, programming manuals, books on diplomacy and business, and much more. Basically, whatever I could find before going to sleep even research Papers, while continuing to expand the collection throughout the morning.

I even figured out how to download entire wikis.

Although they only work in text form without proper images, that's still better than nothing. With my Multiversal Gate Skill, those wikis could become invaluable.

My first stop after leaving the apartment was the bank so I could liquidate all of my assets and withdraw my life savings.

It's a decent amount of money, considering I've spent years saving almost everything I earned while living as frugally as possible.

Still, it's only the savings from two years as an apprentice chef, plus whatever I managed to scrape together through odd jobs while growing up in the orphanage.

And by odd jobs, I mean things like earning five euros once a month for helping an elderly woman in the neighborhood keep the outside of her house clean by sweeping leaves and doing similar chores. Small jobs done on the side that if advertised to loudly could send the tax office after me harder than after pensioners who collected too many returnable bottles.

It's barely enough to buy a cheap but new car.

Not that I intend to do that, since a modern car would make me stand out too much where I plan to go first.

With a large amount of cash on hand and after making sure I could spend everything in my bank account without triggering any restrictions, I also took out a small loan.

Well, "small" isn't exactly accurate.

To be precise, I borrowed the largest amount of money I could get approved for today.

After all, I'm not planning to pay it back.

Suckers.

Although I'll admittedly be completely fucked if all of this turns out to be an extremely realistic delusion and I can't actually open a gate to another universe.

A lot of the things I purchased today were also bought through payment plans, with the lowest possible upfront payments regardless of how terrible the interest rates were.

I bought two high-end backup laptops, several additional hard drives, a backup smartphone, two tablets, naturally the best models I could get, two cameras, a scanner, three small solar chargers, two expensive larger ones that were foldable and chargeable batteries. I also picked up several handheld gaming consoles along with a collection of games.

All of it is on payment plans. So I wouldn't have to pay as much money upfront.

I went all in on technology.

Then there are the new weather-resistant clothes, especially sturdy boots. And some nylon stockings. I also bought outfits that would allow me to blend into different environments.And by that, I mean older clothing styles rather than modern fashion.

Of course, I also stocked up on everyday necessities that could very quickly become luxuries depending on where I end up. Plus some small but useful stuff you can only get easily in a modern world, water-proof colors for example.

Additionally, there is the camping equipment I picked up, ranging from lighters, a gas cooker, camping cooking utensils, a tent, a sleeping bag, various survival tools, a large travel backpack, and a big bag I can carry in one hand to transport as much as possible.

Most importantly, I also have two large trunks and an oversized handcart where I can load most of my supplies. I will be fully loaded before passing through that gate.

In case anything doesn't go as planned, I also purchased enough non-perishable food to survive for a while.

My biggest problem was weaponry. Having some means of defense would be nice, but it was difficult to obtain anything decent under the current legal situation in my country. Since it was impossible to get a gun permit in a single day, I had to settle for alternatives.

Surprisingly, I was able to purchase a crossbow at my local weapons shop. All I needed to do was show my ID. In addition, I got some hunting knives and a set of throwing knives. Sure, I may never use them, but it's better to have them and learn how to use them than not to have them at all.

Lastly, I converted the rest of my available money into gold, silver, and jewelry.

Since my current currency won't work at the world I'm visiting, it's better to carry valuable metals instead. They are old-school currencies. I can't think of any universe where gold isn't valuable. Maybe there are some, but none come to mind.

Now, with a little more than an hour left on my time limit, I am standing in my apartment, making sure everything is packed. It would be awkward if I forgot something after so many preparations.

My two large trunks are stacked at the back of my handcart, while the front holds a box of food and two large twenty-liter containers filled with clean water. On one side of the cart hangs my packed tent, and on the other, my sleeping bag.

Everything seems to be in order. All that's left is to fasten the waterproof rain cover over the cart, and I'm ready to go.

With my backpack on my back, the handle of my cart in one hand, and another bag in the other, it's time. The moment of truth. Did I just ruin myself financially today screwing my entire future?

Following the knowledge I recently gained, I summon the power of the Multiversal Gate Skill hidden within my body, while focusing on a clear image in my mind. While I prepared for all kinds of situations, I spent the entire day thinking about exactly where I want to go first. And I think I came up with a decent plan that balances risk and reward.

With a bright flash, a rainbow-colored gate made of energy forms in front of me, allowing me to release a breath I didn't realize I was holding. I wasn't imagining things. I'm not going insane.

I take one last look at my small apartment, a life I do not plan to return to ever again. There is no way I'm going to work my ass off just to pay back all that debt I just took on.

Without hesitation, I push my cart through the gate first, closely followed by myself. The moment I step inside, I am surrounded by blinding colors.

[ End of the Chapter ]