The sunlight slipped through the dusty blinds of the classroom, tracing faint golden lines across Reyan's desk.
He sat at the very back, his hoodie pulled up halfway, slouched in the familiar anonymity of the last row. The chatter of students, the squeak of shoes, and the click of heels against tile formed a dull backdrop as the lecture began.
Reyan wasn't listening.
He was awake—but focused elsewhere.
> [Would you like to discuss your next step?]
The voice of the system echoed gently in his mind, like thought without noise.
Reyan exhaled and leaned back, arms crossed. His gaze drifted across the classroom, where Damon and Selena sat together, not even bothering to hide their smiles.
Selena whispered something.
Damon smirked.
Reyan didn't flinch. Not anymore.
"…Let me ask you something," he murmured under his breath. "If I wanted… I mean, if I chose to—could you help me crush people like them?"
> [Yes.]
> [But I must ask: do you wish to shine in front of the world immediately—or grow silently, building strength in the shadows before revealing your fortune and power?]
That made Reyan pause.
He glanced down at his desk, where old pen marks and scratches were carved deep from years of bored students.
"…No," he muttered. "I want to grow silently. I don't want attention. Not yet."
> [Understood. Silent growth mode confirmed. Tasks will be designed to build foundation, not provoke unnecessary exposure.]
He nodded once, slow and thoughtful.
Then lifted his eyes and watched Damon stretch and yawn mid-lecture like he owned the place.
"Give me a task," Reyan said quietly.
> [Low-Tier Task Generated.]
> [Mission: Purchase something and tip the salesperson generously.] [Minimum Tip: ₲500] [Reward: Random multiplier of your tip. Range: 2x–10x.]
A grin tugged at Reyan's lips for the first time that day.
That felt fun.
"…Perfect," he whispered. "My phone's already screaming for mercy."
He slid it out of his pocket—the screen cracked, the battery at 14% despite charging all night.
"Alright. I'll buy a new phone after class."
> [Noted.]
The rest of the lecture passed in a blur. Reyan stayed quiet, head down, planning how to spend just enough—not too flashy, not too cheap.
When the bell rang, he was the first to pack up.
He headed straight toward the exit, slipping past clusters of students without drawing a single glance. But just as he passed a small banyan tree near the campus gate, a soft chime sounded in his head.
> [Optional Emotional Task Unlocked.]
> [Target: Arielle Lin – Campus Belle] [Objective: Make her smile genuinely.] [Reward: ₲5,000 + +1 Confidence + +1 Charm] [Time Limit: 15 minutes]
Reyan's heart nearly stopped.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
He turned his head slightly.
There she was—Arielle Lin, standing under the shade, scrolling through her phone while sipping from a bottle of water. Even in her simplest outfit, she looked elegant in a way that didn't feel forced. She didn't wear heavy makeup. She didn't need to.
He felt his throat dry up instantly.
"…You saw how I failed with the nurse, right?"
> [Indeed. Would you like to skip this task?]
He bit his lip.
Every logical part of him screamed to walk away.
But then he thought about how it felt—seeing his mother smile.
He straightened his shoulders and took a breath.
"Okay," he muttered. "Let's try something… real."
He walked toward her. Not confidently. Just… decisively.
She glanced up as he stopped a couple meters away. Her eyes met his, curious but polite.
"Hey," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Quick question."
She raised a brow. "Sure?"
Reyan cleared his throat. "Can I show you a magic trick?"
Arielle tilted her head slightly, amused. "Magic?"
He nodded, holding up both hands.
"Okay, ready? Look carefully."
He dramatically opened his empty left palm.
"Nothing here," he said, serious face.
Then he patted his right pocket, reached in slowly like it was a big reveal—only to pull out a crumpled candy wrapper.
"…Ta-da."
There was a beat of silence.
Reyan blinked. "Okay, that was supposed to be a rose. I might've screwed something up."
Arielle stared at the sad wrapper in his hand.
Then she let out a laugh—short, surprised, and completely genuine.
"Wow," she said, smiling fully now. "That was… impressively bad."
"I'm good at failing with style," he said with a half-smile. "I'm Reyan."
She smiled again, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Arielle. Though I guess you already knew that."
"I'll try a better trick next time," he said, stepping back with a slight nod. "Have a good day."
He walked away before the nervousness could catch up.
> [Task complete.] [Reward received: ₲5,000] [+1 Confidence ] [+1 Charm ]
A warmth pulsed in his chest again—but less intense than before.
Still, he could feel it—like his spine had straightened a little more. Like his words didn't have to hide anymore.
He smirked faintly to himself.
"I guess even stupid lines work if you're sincere enough."
The day wasn't over. His next stop: a tech store.
And after that—his next reward.
---