The morning light slipped through the thin curtains, painting golden lines across the small hotel room. Ethan stirred, the warmth pulling him from the heavy pull of sleep. He stretched slowly, his arms arching above his head, muscles aching faintly from hours behind the wheel. A yawn escaped him, rough and unguarded, before he swung his legs over the side of the bed.
For a moment, he sat in silence, letting the quiet seep into him. No exams. No crowded dorm. No mocking voices at his back. Just a hotel room, a new day, and the faint pulse of the system waiting in his mind.
"Dashboard," he murmured.
The air shimmered, and the familiar blue-white glow unfolded before his eyes.
— [Money Deck System v1.0] —
Name: Ethan Ivers
Balance: $270,000
System Points: 23
Card Draws Available: 2
Attributes:
Strength: 3
Agility: 2
Endurance: 2
Intelligence: 2
Perception: 2
Special Card: Help Card
Ethan exhaled slowly, scanning the numbers. His balance was steady, though he knew how quickly it could shrink once family needs and daily life took their toll. But what caught his attention most was the points. Twenty-three.
He had never seen so many at once. They gleamed like coins in a vault, tempting him to spend.
His gaze drifted lower, to the attributes. Strength. Agility. Endurance. Intelligence. Perception. For days they had remained static, numbers on a screen. But now—he had the means to shape them.
"Alright," Ethan whispered, rolling his shoulders. "Let's see what you can do."
He focused on strength first. Two points per upgrade. He pushed.
[Strength increased: 3 → 4]
[Strength increased: 4 → 5]
A strange warmth coursed through his arms and chest, like a deep current surging into his muscles. His fingers curled into fists instinctively. He felt tighter, denser, as though his body had been tuned subtly sharper.
He shifted to agility.
[Agility increased: 2 → 3]
[Agility increased: 3 → 4]
The world seemed to sharpen around him, his limbs lighter, his balance steadier even sitting on the edge of the bed. His movements felt smoother, more natural, like his body anticipated the motion before he acted.
Intelligence.
[Intelligence increased: 2 → 3]
The warmth this time wasn't physical but mental. His thoughts flowed quicker, connections sparking easier. It wasn't a flood of knowledge but a clarity, like fog lifting from his mind.
Perception.
[Perception increased: 2 → 3]
The room shifted subtly. The edges of objects seemed crisper, the faint hum of the air conditioner more noticeable, the distant sound of traffic below sharper. His awareness expanded outward, grounding him in ways he hadn't known were missing.
When the glow faded, Ethan checked again.
Attributes:
Strength: 5
Agility: 4
Endurance: 2
Intelligence: 3
Perception: 3
System Points Remaining: 11
Ethan flexed his hands, standing slowly. His body felt… different. Stronger, sharper, more alive. He almost wanted to test it, to sprint down the street or leap across rooftops. But the rational part of him—tempered by years of discipline—kept him grounded.
"Not bad," he admitted quietly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Not bad at all."
But the system wasn't done.
He turned his focus to the waiting cards. Two draws hovered, ready. With a deep breath, he chose.
"Draw."
The system shimmered.
[New Mission Generated!]
Mission Type: Clubs → Effort-based mission
Mission Rank: [4] – Four of Clubs
Objective: Complete fitness training routine:
5 km Jogging
50 Push-ups
50 Sit-ups
50 Squats
Base Rewards: 5 System Points + 1 Rare Consumable
Bonus Effect Active: Rewards Doubled
Final Rewards: 10 System Points + 1 Rare Consumable
Ethan stared, his brows arching. A training mission. Plain. Physical. Almost normal.
"Well," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "At least it's not gangsters or shady contracts this time."
Still, the word rare consumable lingered in his mind, sparking curiosity. What counted as consumable in a system like this? A pill? A potion? Something stranger?
He shook his head. One step at a time.
His eyes dropped to his points again. Eleven remained. He hesitated, then flicked his focus to the exchange.
[Exchange: 2 System Points → $100,000]
"Yes," he said.
The glow shimmered. Twice.
[Balance updated: +$200,000]
Balance: $450,000
System Points: 9
Ethan whistled softly. Almost half a million again. Enough to keep his mother secure, his sister comfortable, and himself free from the hunger that had gnawed at them for years.
He leaned back, staring at the morning light spilling across the bed. He had strength now. Agility. A mission ahead that would test his body rather than his luck. And money—more than he had ever dreamed of.
Yet beneath it all, the system's glow reminded him this was only the beginning. Each step forward was deeper into its web. Each mission pulled him further from the life he had once known.
Ethan closed the dashboard, exhaling slowly. His muscles felt ready, his mind sharp.
"Alright," he said to the empty room. "Let's see if I can actually keep up with you."
Steam curled from the bathroom mirror as Ethan stepped out, a towel slung across his shoulders. The sharp edge of exhaustion had faded from his body, replaced by a strange lightness. His muscles felt tighter, his balance cleaner. Every stretch, every movement carried a new efficiency he hadn't known before. The system's upgrades weren't just numbers on a screen. They were real.
He dressed in fresh clothes, the simple shirt and jeans fitting him better than they ever had, and made his way downstairs to the small hotel café. The smell of coffee and toasted bread filled the air, warm and comforting. For the first time in what felt like years, Ethan allowed himself to enjoy an unhurried breakfast.
Two eggs, a slice of toast, a mug of coffee. Simple, but satisfying.
He ate slowly, savoring each bite, almost amused at himself. "Look at me," he muttered under his breath, "half a million in the bank, and I'm still treating toast like a luxury."
When the last sip of coffee was gone, he stood, paid quickly, and stepped out into the morning sun.
It was time to go home.
He imagined his sister's smile when he walked through the door, his mother's gentle scolding for staying out overnight. He had excuses ready: the family he was driving for had kept him late, so he'd stayed in a nearby hotel. It was a lie, but a harmless one. They didn't need to know about Mary, the missions, the system. Not yet.
Ethan's stride was confident as he approached his neighborhood, his bag slung lightly across his shoulder. The streets here were familiar—cracked pavement, faded walls, the hum of old scooters rattling past. He turned the last corner, already picturing the small apartment building that had been their home for years.
And froze.
The sound hit him first.
Raised voices. Shouting. A crash.
Then the sight.
His mother lay sprawled on the pavement, her hands scraped raw, her clothes streaked with dust. His sister knelt beside her, tears streaking her cheeks, clutching her arm. Around them, their belongings lay scattered—clothes spilling from ripped bags, books tossed carelessly into the dirt, pots and pans clattering across the cracked sidewalk.
A man in a cheap suit stood over them, his voice booming with cruel satisfaction. Beside him, two rough-looking enforcers—thick arms, shaved heads, sneers curling their lips.
Ethan's vision blurred red.
For a heartbeat, his body refused to move. He could only watch, disbelieving, as the people he had sworn to protect were treated like garbage, thrown into the street like they were nothing.
Then something inside him snapped.
His feet carried him forward before thought caught up.
"Hey!" His voice cracked like a whip through the street.
The suited man turned, brows raising in faint surprise. His gaze swept over Ethan, then flicked dismissively back toward the women on the ground. "And who the hell are you supposed to be?"
Ethan's fists clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms. His upgraded strength hummed faintly beneath his skin, begging to be unleashed.
"I'm their son," Ethan said, his voice low, dangerous. "So you'd better start explaining why the hell my family is on the ground."