John took a deep breath, the weight of his new reality settling in. He glanced at the golden screen, the numbers still glowing faintly before fading from sight. His heart pounded—not with fear, but with excitement.
He stepped out of his dorm room, determined to seize this second chance. In the hallway, he ran into his roommates—Mike and Chris—the same guys who used to mock him years ago.
Mike sneered, "What's with the new look, John? Did you finally find some confidence at the thrift store?"
Chris laughed, "Yeah, don't act like you're suddenly someone important. You'll always be a loser in this dorm."
John smiled calmly, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu. The old John would have lowered his head, but not this time.
Suddenly, a crisp ding sounded in his mind.
[New Mission: Face your biggest fear. Reward: Unlock 'Perfect Memory' skill.]
John straightened his back. "Actually, I feel great today," he said. "By the way, Mike, did you finish your assignment? I remember you struggled with it last night."
Mike's eyes widened in shock. "How did you know about that?"
John shrugged. "I guess I just pay more attention than you think."
The group headed out to the campus square. The sun was shining, and the energy on campus was electric. As they walked, John's phone buzzed—a new bank notification: $1,000,000 deposited.
His roommates caught sight of the message and burst out laughing. "Fake app, right? Don't tell me you're still dreaming about being rich!"
John just grinned. "You'll see."
At that moment, their notorious upperclassman, Brian, swaggered over. He was infamous for bullying freshmen—especially John.
"Hey, losers. Hand over your lunch money," Brian barked, reaching for John.
John didn't flinch. He stared Brian straight in the eyes. "Not today. In fact, I'll buy everyone lunch—on me."
Mike and Chris stared in disbelief. Brian's smirk faded. John reached into his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash—just as the system whispered:
[Mission complete. 'Perfect Memory' skill unlocked!]
With a confident smile, John handed the cash to Brian. "You can have lunch too. But from now on, things are going to change around here."
The whole square fell silent. For the first time, John felt truly alive.
He had no intention of wasting his second chance. This was just the beginning.