Zero’s Reign: Reincarnated with a Gacha Clone System

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~~~~~

Night had settled over Pinecrest City. The café was closed, the warm glow of the lanterns flickering through the windows. Yet, despite the late hour, nobody in Leblanc had gone to sleep.

Zero sat patiently, tapping his fingers on the table. Soma leaned against the counter, arms crossed, while Sebas stood calmly with a cup of tea in hand. The two unnamed clones sat silently, their focus on their own magical energy collection.

Then—

The front door opened. Erwin walked in, his long coat dusty from his investigative work. He barely gave them a glance before he sighed. "You guys should just sleep. No need to wait for me."

Zero shook his head. "I had to wait for you. I want to experiment with my magic."

Erwin raised an eyebrow.

Zero pointed at One and continued—

"He found something interesting. I don't want to push myself if all of you aren't here. If something happens, I need you all around just to be safe."

Erwin sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Then, without looking up, he sat at the table, flipping open his case notes. "Well, I'm here now. Do whatever you want."

Sebas quietly placed a coffee cup in front of him. "Coffee for you, Young Master Erwin."

Erwin nodded. "Thanks, Sebas."

Zero took a deep breath. "Alright. Let's do this." Zero sat in a circle with One and Two, the air thick with tension. He could feel it. "Do you guys feel it?" Zero asked.

One and Two nodded in unison. "Yeah. It's there."

Soma, sitting off to the side, watched closely. "You guys good? No pain?"

"None." Zero exhaled and pushed further. It was like pressing against a brick wall.

A presence. Not just his own, but—

One.

Two.

They were all connected to this.

Two, still focused, muttered— "Let's not knock it down all at once. Let's break it layer by layer."

Zero nodded. Together, they scooped into the barrier, like digging through layers of sand.

Slowly.

Bit by bit.

It would take time.

But—

They had time.

From the outside, Zero, One, and Two sat in absolute stillness, their breathing shallow and rhythmic. Soma, watching them from the couch, frowned. "Sebas… are you sure they're okay?"

Sebas, ever the composed butler, simply smiled. "They are fine. I will keep an eye on them."

Soma yawned. "Alright. If they pass out, don't say I didn't warn you."

Then—he turned toward Erwin, who was still reviewing his notes. A smirk crept across Soma's face. "Hey, Erwin. Wanna sleep with me?"

Erwin didn't even look up. He just threw a pillow at Soma's face. "Stop being weird. Go sleep with your ghost chef."

Soma scowled, pulling the pillow off his head. "Hey, don't call him that!"

Then—he suddenly turned to thin air. "Wait—why are you here?! I'm not even cooking!"

Zero, deep in his trance, didn't react—

But Sebas, sipping his tea, simply chuckled.

…

The first rays of morning light slipped through the café windows. Soma woke up, stretching himself. He paused when he saw Sebas, still standing exactly where he was last night. His posture was perfect, his eyes still locked onto Zero and the two clones, who remained in deep focus.

Soma rubbed his eyes. "You didn't sleep?"

Sebas smiled. "Someone had to keep watch."

Soma yawned. "Well, whatever. I'm calling dibs on the bathroom."

And with that—

He walked off, leaving Sebas still watching over Zero's experiment. Everything seemed calm.

Until—

Zero suddenly gasped. As if a dam had burst, a wave of energy flooded through him.

Instantly—

A sharp pain rippled through all of them. Sebas' eyes widened. Erwin clutched his temple. Soma—still in the bath—yelped.

And then—Everything faded to white.

…

They found themselves in a vast, empty space. A limitless white void. It felt both endless and contained, like an entire world inside a single thought. Zero looked around. Standing beside him were—

Sebas.

Erwin.

And…

Soma.

Soaking wet.

Completely naked. Water dripped from his hair onto the white void beneath them. Soma blinked. Then he snapped his head toward Zero. "WHAT THE HELL?! I WAS STILL IN THE SHOWER!"

Zero flinched. "Hey, don't blame me! I wasn't aiming for your bath!"

Soma clenched his fists. "DO YOU KNOW HOW WEIRD THIS IS?!"

Erwin, arms crossed, sighed. "Can someone explain why we're here?"

Zero took a deep breath and looked around. "…I think this is my mind. Or, at least, a shared mental space connected to all of us."

Sebas, unphased, observed the surroundings with calm intrigue. "A mindscape. A fascinating development, Master Zero."

Erwin narrowed his eyes. "Why are we inside it, though?"

Zero scratched his head. "It's… an upgrade. Like an evolution of my abilities. From now on, we can communicate and even share memories through here."

Soma huffed. "Great. That's cool and all, but HOW DO I LEAVE?"

Zero shrugged. "Just focus on your body. Try to 'feel' yourself, and it should send you back."

The others closed their eyes, concentrating. Then—one by one—They blinked out of existence.

…

Soma jerked awake in his bathroom. Still wet. Still naked. Still very pissed off. "I'M GONNA KILL YOU, ZERO!"

Zero grinned. Inside his mind, he focused—And suddenly, his voice echoed inside all of their heads. "Test. Test. Can everyone hear me?"

Soma—still furious—snapped. "WHY ARE YOU IN MY HEAD?!"

Erwin's voice followed next. "This is… actually useful. We can communicate at any time like this."

Sebas calmly added, "Quite the strategic advantage, Master Zero."

Then—

Erwin suddenly smirked. He focused. And instead of speaking to everyone, he channeled his voice directly to Soma. "Your food is mediocre."

Soma froze. His fists clenched. Then—he pointed directly at Erwin downstairs. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"

Zero and Sebas exchanged confused glances. "…Wait. What did he say?" Zero asked.

Sebas, equally curious, tilted his head. 

Erwin simply smirked. 

Then—Soma realized something. He turned to Zero. "You… didn't hear that?"

Zero shook his head.

Erwin finally spoke aloud, grinning. "Looks like we can send thoughts privately, too."

A pause.

Zero grinned. "This is gonna be so useful."

Sebas gave a satisfied nod. "Indeed. However, we should also test the range. We do not know if there is a limit to how far we can communicate through this… Mindscape."

Zero's grin widened. "Oh. We're definitely testing it."

He crossed his arms, looking at the others. "Alright. This ability needs a name. Any suggestions?"

Soma, still drying his hair, muttered—

"Mind Hall."

The name stuck.

Zero nodded.

"Mind Hall it is."

Erwin leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Let's test it out properly. I still have cases to investigate. I'll call on you through Mind Hall to check its limits."

Zero smirked. "Perfect. Let's push it to the max."

…

The morning sun bathed the Pinecrest Police Department in a golden hue, yet the atmosphere inside was anything but warm. Stacks of case files, scattered papers, and half-finished reports filled Captain Elara Vaelith's desk. She sat back in her chair, her sharp emerald eyes scanning the documents before her.

Then—she let out a tired sigh. Across from her stood Detective Sergeant Lomare, his hands neatly folded behind his back, posture rigid.

Elara, without looking up, tapped a newspaper on her desk. "Sergeant Lomare."

Lomare adjusted his stance slightly. "Yes, Captain?"

She finally looked at him, her expression unreadable as she tapped a finger against the paper's bold headline.

"The Golden Commander: How One Private Investigator Outshines Pinecrest's Police Force."

Next to it—

A clear photo of Erwin Smith, his flowing blonde hair caught in mid-motion, walking out of the Silver Serpent's former drug den.

Elara arched an eyebrow. "Care to explain how one man keeps outpacing your entire division?"

Lomare's jaw tensed, but he kept his composure. "With all due respect, Captain—my men are overloaded." Elara simply stared, waiting for more.

Lomare sighed, rubbing his temples. "Ever since the Silver Serpent took over the Bernald family's territory, crime has skyrocketed."

He gestured to the mountain of case files behind him. "A week ago, Erwin singlehandedly exposed their main base, which sent them scrambling. Now, they're throwing distractions everywhere—fake leads, minor crimes, wild goose chases. And my detectives? They're spread too thin trying to keep up."

Elara leaned back, considering his words. "I see."

She thought for a moment, then made her decision. "Request backup from the Hellhound Unit for additional patrols. And from now on—prioritize high-value cases. If something looks like a deliberate distraction, close it immediately."

Lomare nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

He turned to leave—

Then hesitated. After a brief pause, he glanced back at her. "Captain… change is hard at first. But a lot of us are ready to support you." Then—he left.

Elara sat alone in her office. The ticking of the clock on the wall filled the silence. She let out a slow breath, rubbing her temples. 'I never expected to be here.'

A Captain. Not just any Captain—the first female captain of Pinecrest's police force.

And yet—

She'd never even met the Chief who appointed her. Why her? Why did he trust her so much? She picked up the newspaper again, eyes scanning over Erwin's face. His golden hair, his sharp yet composed gaze, the title underneath his picture—

The Golden Commander.

Elara narrowed her eyes. "He's not even that handsome." She tossed the paper aside, rolling her shoulders and focusing on the next stack of reports. Her job wasn't to be bothered by headlines. Her job was to fix this damn department.

And she wasn't going to fail.

…

The morning rush at Café Leblanc was in full swing. Customers filled the cozy café, their conversations mixing with the sounds of clinking cups and sizzling pans. Soma was at the counter, flipping slices of French toast on the griddle while Zero moved between tables, serving coffee and chatting with the guests.

As he placed a fresh cup of espresso in front of one of the regulars, he tapped the edge of their table with a stack of papers. "Alright, people!" Zero called out. "Like I said yesterday, today's the vote for the fixed breakfast menu!"

A wave of murmurs spread across the café as customers reached for the papers. "Vote wisely!" Zero added. "You're deciding your fate here."

"Oh please, just add the pancakes already." A man groaned, filling out the form.

"No, the quail egg porridge! It's a crime if that's not on the menu!" another customer argued.

Soma, overhearing this from the kitchen, snorted. "Hey, hey, don't get too passionate about breakfast. It's not a political election."

Zero grinned, leaning against the counter. "I dunno, man. You should see their faces—it's more intense than a noble's council debate."

A woman near the back raised her hand. "Can I vote for both?"

Soma turned his head sharply. "No. This is a dictatorship. Pick one."

The café erupted in laughter. Zero smirked and took a sip of coffee. "This dictatorship better be serving free coffee or I'm leading a rebellion."

Soma pointed a spatula at him. "You get free coffee anyway, dumbass."

Zero nodded. "Damn. That's a good point. Rebellion canceled."

The front door swung open, and in stepped Officer Monet—but not in uniform. She wore casual clothes, her hair slightly messy, and her tired eyes screamed exhaustion.

Zero, recognizing her immediately, greeted her with his usual charm. "Officer Monet! Welcome!"

Monet let out a long, tired sigh as she made her way to the counter. "Just Monet today… I just finished my night shift."

She rubbed her temples. "I wanna sleep so bad… but I'm starving. Can you make me pancakes?"

Zero grinned mischievously. "Ah, you'll have to talk to the chef about that. He's the one changing the menu every day."

Monet blinked. Then—without hesitation— She spun around, marching toward the kitchen with unexpected energy. "SOMA!!"

Soma looked up from the sizzling French toast just as Monet peeked into the kitchen. "Oh hey, Monet. Long time no see."

She clasped her hands together, giving him the most dramatic, pleading expression. "Can you make me pancakes, please?"

Soma chuckled, already shaking his head. "No can do. Today's breakfast is French toast."

Monet gasped, horrified. "But… I want pancakes!"

Without a word, Soma reached behind him, grabbed one of the voting papers, and handed it to her. "Vote for pancakes on the fixed menu, then."

Monet pouted. "Ughhh. Fine."

She snatched the paper, glaring at him dramatically before slumping into a chair. "I guess I'll try this 'French toast' of yours…"

Soma smirked, flipping a plate onto the counter. "Coming right up."

Zero, watching from the sidelines, smirked. "That's how you handle a cop, ladies and gentlemen."