Zero’s Reign: Reincarnated with a Gacha Clone System

Zero sat behind the café counter, resting his chin on his palm. The soft glow of the lanterns bathed the wooden interior in warm light, but his mind was elsewhere.

His racial talent—Clone/Avatar—was still a mystery to him. According to Cecil, he could create a duplicate of himself. But how? Did it just appear out of thin air? Did he need a trigger? And most importantly—was there a cost?

There was only one way to find out.

Taking a deep breath, Zero closed his eyes and focused. He turned his awareness inward, searching for the magic deep within his core. It felt distant, like a dormant beast waiting to be awakened. Zero clenched his fists and tried to push that energy outward—imagining himself splitting into two.

For a moment, he thought it was working.

Then—

A sharp, searing pain ripped through his chest.

Zero gasped, clutching at himself as his vision blurred. It felt like something was being forcefully torn away, like an invisible hook dragging his essence out of his body. Something dark and wispy curled around his arms—black mist seeping from his pores.

Then, just as quickly as it came—

It vanished.

Zero collapsed onto his back, panting. Sweat beaded his forehead as he stared at the ceiling. "Okay," he muttered, catching his breath. "That sucked." 

Clearly, this wasn't going to be easy. Zero pushed himself up, rubbing his temples. What went wrong? It wasn't just magic exhaustion—it was like something had been forcibly removed from him. Maybe cloning wasn't just about summoning a copy. Maybe he had to offer something in return.

His mind wandered to the stories he had read in his past life. In most fantasy settings, creation always required sacrifice.

If that applied here, then—

Magic alone isn't enough. I have to give something else. His stomach twisted as he thought about what that something might be. Blood? Flesh? A piece of my soul? He shuddered at the last one. "…Well. Only one way to find out."

Zero reached behind the counter and grabbed a small kitchen knife. Rolling up his sleeve, he took a deep breath. He pressed the blade against his palm and made a small, precise cut. The pain was sharp but manageable. Warm blood dripped onto the wooden floor.

Zero focused.

Instead of simply pushing his magic outward, he imagined the blood as a catalyst—a fuel for his ability. For a moment, nothing happened.

Then—

The air shimmered. The blood on the floor darkened, twisting unnaturally as it spread outward in jagged tendrils. A shape began to rise from the pooling liquid. At first, it was just a shadow, flickering and unstable. Then, as if solidifying, the shape became clearer.

Zero's eyes widened.

Standing before him was—

Himself.

Zero slowly stood up, circling the duplicate in front of him. The clone was identical—same sharp features, same long black hair, same golden eyes. Even its clothes were an exact copy.

Zero raised a hand—

The clone mirrored him.

He took a step forward—

The clone followed.

"…Alright," Zero muttered. "Can you talk?" The clone tilted its head, then smirked. "Can you?" Zero stiffened. His own voice had echoed back at him. "…Okay, that's freaky."

Now that he had a working clone, Zero needed answers.

How independent was it?

2. Could it think on its own?

3. What happened if it was injured?

To test, Zero flicked the clone's forehead. The clone scowled, rubbing the spot. "Ow. What the hell, man?" Zero blinked. "Wait. So you can feel pain?" The clone shrugged. "I am you. I think what you think. I know what you know. I exist as long as you will me to."

Zero hummed. "So you're not totally separate. You're an extension of me." The clone nodded. Zero smirked. "And if I dismiss you?" The clone grinned back. "Try it." Zero focused, imagining the connection breaking. The clone instantly dissolved into mist, fading back into nothing.

Zero exhaled.

"Alright. So I can make clones, but I have to sacrifice blood to do it." His hand still stung from the cut, but the discovery was worth it. Now, he had a path forward. 

Zero sat in silence for a moment, staring at the empty space where his clone had disappeared. Curious, he focused his mind and tried to will the clone back. 

Nothing happened.

He furrowed his brows and tried again—reaching for the presence he had felt earlier when his clone existed.

Still nothing.

Zero exhaled through his nose. So once a clone is dismissed, it's completely gone. He made a mental note of this limitation. I can't recall a dismissed clone. If I want another, I have to create a new one from scratch. That meant more blood. More sacrifice.

Zero glanced down at his palm, where the cut had already begun to clot. "…Probably not a great idea to push this too much in one night." He had learned enough for now.

Stretching his arms, Zero let out a yawn. "Alright. That's enough experimenting for one day." He walked over to the café's entrance, flipping the OPEN sign to CLOSED. The warm glow of the lanterns cast long shadows as he tidied up—wiping down the counter, adjusting the chairs, and double-checking the coffee supplies.

Everything was in order.

Satisfied, Zero took one last look at the cozy interior of Café Leblanc. Tomorrow would be his first real day as a café owner.

He smirked.

"…Let's see what this new life has in store." With that, he turned off the lights and headed upstairs—ready to face whatever came next.

…

The sounds of the city stirred Zero awake. Through the slightly open window, he could hear the distant clatter of hooves on cobblestone, the murmur of merchants setting up stalls, and the faint whistle of a passing train.

Aetherion was alive.

Zero stretched his arms above his head, yawning. As he moved, he caught sight of his left palm—the same hand he had cut for his experiment last night.

The wound was gone. Not even a scar. He sat up, flexing his fingers. "Wow. Archdemon bodies heal fast." His new race was starting to show its perks.

Standing, Zero made his way to the bathroom. The moment he stepped inside, his gaze fell onto the mirror.

And for the first time in good lighting, he got a proper look at himself.

Zero stared.

His long black hair framed his face, smooth and silky, cascading past his shoulders. His golden eyes gleamed under the soft morning light. His skin was flawless, a sharp contrast to his past life's more average complexion.

But what stood out the most—

His horns. They protruded just slightly from his forehead, curving backward, like the beginnings of a crown. Slowly, Zero reached up, running his fingers along the smooth, dark surface. They were firm, unyielding—a natural part of him.

He exhaled.

"Guess I better get used to these." Shaking off his thoughts, he bathed, dressed, and prepared himself for the day. He wanted something comfortable yet casual, so he settled on a simple dark tunic with rolled-up sleeves, loose black pants, and leather boots.

Once ready, he made his way downstairs.

Zero stepped into the café's floor, expecting to sweep up some dust or clean a few tables.

Instead, the place was pristine.

Not a single speck of dust.

The counter was spotless, the tables perfectly arranged, and even the floor looked freshly polished.

Zero squinted. "…Did the café clean itself?" He tapped his chin. "Huh. Cecil never mentioned this."

That meant—

He didn't have to worry about cleaning or maintenance. Another perk of his new life. Still, despite the café being ready for business, Zero wasn't in a rush to open. There was something else he wanted to do first.

Stepping into the middle of the café, Zero took a deep breath. "Alright. Let's try the clone again." Rolling up his sleeve, he grabbed a small knife from behind the counter. With a quick motion, he sliced his palm, allowing a few drops of crimson blood to drip onto the floor. The air shimmered. The blood pooled and twisted unnaturally, forming a dark mist.

And from that mist—

A figure emerged. Zero watched as his exact duplicate took shape before him, blinking as if adjusting to existence. Zero smirked. "Hi again." The clone mirrored his smirk. "Hi again." Zero raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so you're the same clone from yesterday?" The clone shook his head. "No, I'm not. But I have your memories, so I know what happened."

Zero hummed. "Interesting."

So every new clone wasn't truly the same entity—but it still inherited everything from the previous one. Zero pulled the Sōma Yukihira card from his pocket.

"Alright. Let's try something."

The clone glanced at the card, then at Zero. "What do you want me to do?" Zero frowned. "I thought you'd just… know, like last time." The clone shrugged. "I understand how I function as a clone. But I don't know anything beyond what you do."

Zero clicked his tongue. "Alright. Let's experiment."

He started testing different methods:

Handing the card to the clone. Nothing happened. Throwing the card at the clone. It just bounced off. Placing the card on the clone's chest. No reaction. Zero groaned. "Damn it, how does this work?" Finally, in one last attempt, Zero reached out and pressed the card against the clone's forehead—right between his horns.

The moment the card made contact—

It glowed. 

The clone's body trembled, and then—

A transformation began.

Zero stepped back as the clone's body shifted. His long black hair shortened, turning a vibrant red. His casual tunic morphed, transforming into a modern chef's uniform—a simple white shirt with rolled-up sleeves, a black apron tied around his waist.

Within seconds, the clone's form had completely changed.

Zero's eyes widened.

"…Holy shit."

The clone—now fully transformed into Sōma Yukihira—ran a hand through his new red hair before smirking. Zero let out a low whistle. "Well. That's one hell of a makeover." The newly transformed clone cracked his neck. "Heh. Feels pretty natural."

Zero folded his arms. "So? How do you feel? Do you still think like me, or…?" The clone tilted his head. "It's weird. I still feel like you, but I also have… instincts that weren't there before." Zero nodded. "That means you gained Sōma's skills." That settled it.

The Gacha cards fused with the clone, giving it the skills, memories, and abilities of the drawn character. Zero smirked. "…This is gonna be fun."

…

The sound of a sharp knife slicing through vegetables echoed in the café's quiet kitchen.

Soma—Zero's newly transformed clone—was fully focused on preparing a meal, moving with an effortless grace that Zero hadn't expected. Zero leaned against the counter, arms folded. "Are you even that good?"

Soma didn't look up. "Hey, I can feel it. I know what I'm doing." Zero smirked. "Still, I just think it'd be better to wait for Liu Mao Xing. Now that's a proper chef."

The moment the words left his mouth, Soma froze mid-cut.

Then, slowly, he turned his head toward Zero, a dangerous glint in his golden-red eyes. "…You know what?" Soma said, placing his knife down with exaggerated care. "I'm gonna make you the best damn hamburger ever. And after that, you're gonna take that statement back."

Zero chuckled. "Alright, alright. Impress me, Yukihira." Soma smirked, rolling his shoulders before getting back to work. Then, as if just remembering something, he paused again.

"Oh, and from now on—call me Soma. Soma Yukihira." Zero raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? You're just taking the name?" Soma shrugged. "I am him now. Might as well own it." Zero snorted, shaking his head. "Fair enough."

As Soma worked, they bantered back and forth—Zero commenting, Soma firing back.

Zero couldn't help but feel… weird.

It was one thing to talk to a friend or a coworker—but talking to yourself? Watching someone who looked, thought, and acted like you, yet wasn't you?

Yeah. That was trippy.

Soma seemed to pick up on it, not even looking up from the pan as he flipped the perfectly seared beef patty. "It's weird, huh?" Zero blinked. "What?" Soma smirked. "Talking to yourself like this." 

Zero scoffed. "You know what I'm thinking, don't you?" Soma finally glanced at him, flashing an all-too-familiar smirk. "I am you, y'know." Zero exhaled. "Yeah. That's what makes it weird."

Just as Soma plated the perfectly crafted hamburger, the sound of a bell chiming from the café door rang through the air.

A customer.

Zero straightened up, turning toward the entrance.

"Hey, welcome to Café Leblanc."

A tall human man stood at the entrance, looking around the café with mild curiosity. His sharp gray eyes landed on Zero, and he arched a brow.

"…You're the owner?"

Zero nodded. "Yes, sir."

The man scratched his chin before sighing. "Make me something to wake myself up."

Zero smirked. "Coming right up."

As Zero moved toward the counter, Soma caught his gaze and gave a small nod—a silent understanding passing between them. Without hesitation, Soma took the untouched meal he had just prepared for Zero and slid the plate across the counter to the customer.

"A little commemoration meal, on the house," Soma said. The man blinked, looking at the hamburger in mild surprise. "Huh. Well… thanks." But as he reached for it, he suddenly paused. His expression shifted, and he glanced up at Soma. "…Are you okay working for a demon?"

Zero stilled.

Soma, however, didn't flinch. "Yeah. My boss is a good person." The man scoffed, shaking his head. "C'mon. No self-respecting human would work for a demon." Soma didn't react, merely pushing the plate toward him. "Have a good meal, sir." The man frowned slightly but said nothing more.

Instead, he picked up the burger, took a bite—

—and froze.

The moment the burger hit his tongue, something clicked.

The flavors were rich yet balanced—the juicy beef, the buttery softness of the bun, the sharp contrast of pickles and sauce, all melding together in perfect harmony. It wasn't just food. It was… comfort. As if something had filled a hole in his soul—one he didn't even know was there.

Instinctively, he took another bite. Then another.

The previous tension in his shoulders eased, his earlier hostility fading with each chew. Zero placed a cup of freshly brewed coffee in front of him. "It's good, huh?"

The man—who had been so rigid just moments ago—exhaled. His entire posture softened as he nodded. "Yeah… it's good."

Zero smirked. "I know. Never had a doubt about him." Soma, who had been quietly observing, sneered jokingly. "Oh, now you have faith in me?" Zero chuckled. "What can I say? I had to see it to believe it."

The man—now much cheerier than when he had entered—smiling. For the first time since stepping into the café, he didn't see Zero as a demon.

Just a guy who served damn good food.

**A/N**

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**A/N**