Chapter 1: The Beginning

Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.

Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.

The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.

"Speech"

Time*

Chapter 1: The Beginning

A teenage male of 19 years old with wavy black hair and purple eyes wearing a purple shirt and black shorts. Lying on a bed that's in the middle of a small apartment. Where he is staring at the ceiling with a lazy gaze.

This is Zen Lotus, who recovered his previous life's memory and gained a cheat to go with it. However, some part of his memory is missing, mainly how he died and if he had met a ROB or those beings who claimed to be God with the uppercase G that created the universe. Not that he cared, since he has a second chance at life and an overpowered cheat that makes life so easy that it wouldn't be that hard to become a Gary Stu.

Of course, he will limit himself because being a Gary Stu would be too boring. Although, that doesn't mean he will allow people to walk all over him. He has seen many main characters in his position to let many dominate them in more than one way. Gaining control over the main characters to do their bidding.

Imaginative Technomagic is the power to create any technomagical device just by imagining them. The created devices are permanent, and their existence irreversible. They are all under the users' complete control and can be remolded or merged the same way they were created to fit a different purpose. To create them, the users must come up with a rough idea of the appearance, function, and effects, the power filling in the blanks from there.

These conditions work as a fail-safe system protecting the users from unintentional uses and potential side effects. Users may also apply the power directly to themselves, enhancing themselves via technomagical remolding or turning into a technomagical shape-shifting amalgam with nigh-infinite possibilities.

Overall, it's EXTREMELY easy to become a Gary Stu with limitless powers. So, it will take time for him to stop doing such a thing. After all, his previous life wasn't that... joyful.

Therefore, Zen will do his best to take his time enjoying this second life of his. By making sure he has a comfortable, stress-free life.

Currently, Zen is in his bedroom, and it's almost time for the sun to rise. He is now thinking up many plans he hopes to complete in this lifetime.

Letting out a yawn, Zen got up from bed to head into the bathroom to clean himself up and prepare for the day. No point in him lying in bed any longer; plus, he still has to think up something to help give him the edge he needs to survive in this crazy world.

Hours later*

A slight frown appears on Zen's face, for he just finished experimenting with Imagination Technomagic sometime now and found it extremely overpowered, to the point he can recreate many things that can easily destroy the universe, which should be a given at the very start with the introduction that came with the cheat. It still doesn't change the fact that he needed to test a few things out to be sure.

Anyway, universal traveling is a possible thing to perform, especially when he had to do it four times. One for doing a random jump, then return only to bring back an unlucky person that accidentally tagged along for the ride, causing him to jump back to that world again before coming back.

Overall, Zen can say that he seriously needs to work on his self-control. It won't be long before he accidentally becomes a Gary Stu.

On another note, Zen has already come up with something so easily overpowered that could outclass many people of this world. Yet, if he lets his guard down for a moment, he will die. Therefore, he will take on an alternate route that leads to becoming the same status as Saitama from the One Punch Man series, but without the whole killing anything with a single punch.

In other words: being stupidly overpowered in combat but lacking in other areas.

Plus, he doesn't have to worry about people taking advantage of him like many powerful characters throughout different series.

Still leave a bitter taste to Zen, since he didn't earn this; however, he can put his pride aside for survival.

Now, as to why he is frowning this entire time.

The desire to leave this world for another, mainly this world, is dangerous for most people to live in, and the chance of two powerful gods coming back here may or may not wipe everyone a second time, especially if everyone doesn't have the means to protect themselves. Against gods or not, just simply living in this world is a challenge for many people. Due to the wildness, Grimm, and even the people themselves.

Sure, he would love a stress-free life, but it's one thing to leave the world he was born into and leave it for another to be safe when there's no point in doing so since his cheat is all he needs to survive in this dangerous world that he knows of thanks to his previous life's memory.

Zen shakes his head, not wanting to think about this too much, and continues what he has done before regaining his previous life's memory—moving with the flow and adapting to anything he can't prevent, which won't be a problem from this point on. Now that he has Imaginative Technomagic to use for whatever he desires.

Glancing at his wristwatch and see it's already three in the afternoon.

It's time for him to get something to eat now that he has more free time after quitting his job when he no longer needs an income due to being able to generate unlimited money by creating a device to make it happen without having to worry about ending up as fake for people to detect.

A few hours later*

"This should be the place..." Zen mumbled to himself where he stood before an old bookstore, a two-story building he recently purchased to spend most of his remaining life relaxing. Since money is no longer an issue, he can get all the books, redecorate the place, and maybe include a bed for him to use whenever he needs a nap.

So, Zen walks into the building and checks the place out. After all, it did cost him hours to do all the paperwork and get things done before he is finally the owner of this bookstore that still has some books on the shelves covered in dust from the lack of people cleaning up the place.

Not that it would be any trouble for him. He uses Imaginative Technomagic to create a device in the form of a handheld push button switch that affects reality inside the bookstore to remove all the dust and anything that need to be clean, as well as repair anything that needs repair.

Zen closed the door behind him before pressing the button and watched everything flash in a white light, which didn't blind Zen, for it was too quick and ended instantly before his eyes were affected.

Now, everything seems utterly new from plain view.

Zen nods in happiness and loves his cheat more than ever. Besides making him overpowered. It can also help him deal with many mundane things that would require months and other people's help to get things done. At the same time, he can get the result instantly with Imaginative Technomagic.

Looking around, Zen begins to see that there are lots of books. Like a lot to the point, he wonders what happened to the previous owner besides leaving behind a large debt that forced the guy to go into hiding.

No matter, this bookstore is his now. He can easily find out if there is anything hidden in this bookstore with Imaginative Technomagic to scan the entire building, and no secret will remain a secret.

And he did precisely that but only came up disappointed to find that there were no hidden rooms built in secret.

Oh well, he can resume his plan to turn the office room on the second floor into a bedroom/living area. Then, he will reopen the bookstore either today or tomorrow.

2 hours later*

Zen wipes the sweat off his forehead as he just finished bringing his stuff into the bookstore since he plans to live here instead of in that old, worn-down apartment. Even the former office room, now a bedroom/living room, is more significant than his last place.

Now that he has Imaginative Technomagic and has the taste of using it on the first day. It's a lot harder to do everyday stuff without it after seeing how life becomes so much more accessible from the many results of the cheat in action.

Just as Zen was about to get himself some water to drink, he heard the sound of the bell ringing from the front door that someone had just come in.

Upon seeing who it is and politely ask them to leave.

Zen became speechless, and his blank facial expression nearly broke to see an unexpected someone he didn't think would see any time soon. Literally on the first day upon recovering his past life's memory and gaining the Imaginative Technomagic. He would meet Blake Belladonna out of all the people he could have met first from canon.

Then again, he should've expected this when living in the City of Vale. He is bound to meet her and one of the other main characters at some point. Although, he was sure it would take a bit longer since he wasn't the only bookstore owner in the city, especially for someone like Blake, that likes to read books all the time.

"Hello, how may I help you?" Zen asks Blake, with curiosity in his voice as he watches Blake looking around the place. Most likely to search for the book, she came here to see if there's one in stock.

"Do you have the book: Howling of the Moon?" Blake asks in a monotone.

"On your right. At the very bottom section." Zen replied, "By the way, you know I haven't opened the shop yet, right? The sign says close." He might as well point this out and take this as something to remember to lock the door, even if the sign says closed. Better not let this happen again in the future.

Just as Blake was about to crouch down to get the book she wanted to purchase, she turned around to see the sign in the front window. The open side faces inside the store. This causes Blake's cheeks to gain a pink hue.

"Oh... I'm sorry." Blake apologizes.

"It's fine. I was planning to open up sometime today or tomorrow." Zen waved off Blake's apology, reached down to get the book she wanted, and headed to the register. "Come on; I'll ring you up. And as my first customer, I will give you a 30% discount." He glances at the book's price, which is 3200 Lien. "So, it will be 2240 Lien for you." Zen finishes checking the book out and handing it over to Blake, who gives him the Lien to pay for it.

"Thank you, and sorry about that." Blake once again apologizes.

"It's fine. Also, I'm Zen. Nice to meet you, Miss First Customer." Zen nods at Blake.

"Blake. Thank you for the book." Blake nods back, then exits the bookstore.

Well, that could have gone better. At least, Zen doesn't have to worry about the place running with Grimm until a couple of months from now. By then, he should've already prepared for most things to keep his relaxing lifestyle intact or outright leave this world for another.

The next day*

Zen let out a yawn before adjusting his position to a comfortable one. As he resumes reading online, where he finds some interesting things to read about. Mainly more about dust, before he recovers his past life's memory. Dust has become a slow interest to a boring old common thing everywhere.

Yet, he became more interested now, thanks to never having dust in his previous life. So, he might as well take this chance to know more about it in detail.

Finally, he can use this to pass the time while relaxing. He has already prepared everything he needed for the incoming breach and, if things still go as canon, leading to the fall of Beacon. Then, he already has an idea of which world to go to.

"Excuse me, do you have the latest weapon magazine?!" Someone burst into the bookstore and seemed to be in a hurry.

Zen glances up to see Ruby Rose, another main character in this world.

"On your far left. Middle section near to the window." Zen replied, then looked back at his scroll.

"Thanks!" Ruby shouted, then quickly rushed to get the magazine and headed to the checkout to pay for the magazine. "Oh! Do you happen to have anything on study guides to prepare for someone heading to Beacon Academy?"

Now, that caught Zen's attention because he didn't think Ruby would be the study type, besides anything unrelated to weapons, unless this Ruby is somewhat different from her canon version.

"Not at the moment." Zen didn't feel like telling Ruby that the bookstore nearly has nothing related to Huntsmen in general. Other than a few essential guides on weapons and fighting styles, the rest is mainly for civilians.

Of course, Imaginative Technomagic can easily create a book-shaped device that can come up with the most high-quality information on being a Huntsman and among other things. But why would he do such a thing that would lead to unwanted eyes focusing on him? That would be a stupid thing to do on his part.

"Oh... Well, thanks for the book, bye!" Ruby smile at Zen, then rushes out of the bookstore to enjoy her magazine.

"Weird..." Zen starts to wonder if he would meet all the main characters, or mainly those that showed up in canon.

Nonetheless, it won't matter. All Zen needs is to enjoy a relaxing day and ensure not to get too involved with the main characters. Who knows what crazy things he would have to go through?

20 minutes later*

Hm?

Zen narrows his eyes and hears something going on outside.

He gets up from his seat and walks to the front window to see what's happening outside.

Nothing bothers to think about it for a second. Zen creates a silver ring-shaped technomagical device on his right index finger, then places his palm against the front window where purple flames erupt from the ring and spread across the front window and the wall.

Not a second later, a shadow figure smacks the front window from the outside with enough force that causes the front window to shake briefly.

Luckily, he created a Cloud Flame Ring from the series: Katekyo Hitman Reborn, where the wearer gains the ability to use the Dying Will Flame: Cloud. Cloud Flame's characteristic is Propagation, which carries the ability to increase and multiply. As such, it is excellent for anything that involves an increase in the size and multiplication of numbers.

Zen increased the durability of the front window and wall around it and making them more robust than it originally was. Therefore, the front window didn't shatter when the shadowy figure, which Zen found it's a person, smashed against it.

Removed the Cloud Flame from the front window and the wall to get a better view outside, and Zen was just a bit surprised to see fighting going on outside. Then again, there are criminals, and the neighborhood his bookstore is located is near a shady area, which is why the price was lower than other bookstores. In addition, this might be related to the missing previous owner too.

In hindsight, maybe it wasn't the best to buy this bookstore.

Zen glance to the left and sees a big grocery store. Next to it is the bank and on the other is a dust store with the Schnee company's band logo.

Oh yeah. That's why—no need to use any vehicle when those two are within walking distance.

Then, Zen glance back at the fighting going on and see Ruby beating up henchmen, with Roman already running away instead of climbing up a ladder where he did in canon.

He might have miscalculated if the canon is still a thing or if he is in an alternate version of RWBY. If so, his stress-free, relaxing lifestyle might be a thing for too long when anything is now possible in this world.

Honestly, he should've expected something like this when he gained a powerful cheat and shouldn't have existed in this world in the first place or even regained back his past life's memory.

Zen hopes this doesn't lead him to move to another kingdom or leave this world for another.

However, he thought too soon as he heard the sound of something crashing in the back, causing him to generate Cloud Flame and prepare to use Imaginative Technomagic to create his primary weapon to be ready for combat.

Well, there was no point in doing so when he reached the back to find someone lying on the ground unconscious.

Upon seeing who it is.

"Fuck my life." Zen muttered under his breath that his comfortable, stress-free life wasn't looking that bright, not even a week in.