The snow had thickened overnight, blanketing Sapporo in a hush that made the city feel like a paused film. Ethan walked briskly through the narrow streets, his satchel heavy with manga and cartridges, his mind buzzing with numbers, wireframes, and Isabelle's sketches. StudySync was beginning to take shape. The System had updated his dashboard with a new milestone: "Prototype Phase: 0% → 12%."
He felt good. Focused. But the System's quiet hum in the back of his mind carried a strange tension today—like static before a storm.
[System Alert: Anomaly Detected Nearby]
Classification: Active System User
Risk Level: Unknown
Suggested Action: Observe
Ethan stopped mid-step. Another user? He hadn't considered that possibility. He'd assumed the System was his alone—some cosmic fluke, a second chance granted only to him. But of course, that was naïve. If the System existed, it could have chosen others. And if it had, they might not be playing the same game.
He turned the corner and saw him.
A boy stood outside a bookstore, dressed in a sleek black coat, his hair neatly parted, his posture too composed for a teenager. He was speaking to the shop owner with quiet authority, gesturing toward a box of rare manga. Ethan recognized the titles instantly—early Berserk, Akira, Nausicaä. High-value items. The kind collectors would pay thousands for in the future.
The boy handed over a wad of cash without flinching. The shopkeeper looked stunned but accepted it. The boy turned, and for a moment, their eyes met.
Cold. Calculated. Curious.
Ethan felt the System pulse.
[System Sync: User #0461 — Kaito Murase]
Status: Active
Objective: ¥100,000,000,000
Strategy: Aggressive Acquisition
Compatibility: Low
Threat Level: Moderate
Kaito Murase. The name rang faintly in Ethan's memory. He'd heard it once—years ago—in a business article about a ruthless investor who'd taken over three startups before age thirty. If this was the same person, then he wasn't just a rival.
He was dangerous.
Kaito approached, his steps deliberate, his gaze locked onto Ethan like he already knew everything.
"You're early," he said.
Ethan blinked. "Excuse me?"
Kaito smirked. "Most users don't show up until the first million. You're ahead of schedule."
Ethan's pulse quickened. "You know about the System."
"Of course," Kaito said. "We're in the same game. Different playstyles."
Ethan studied him. There was no warmth in his voice. No curiosity. Just precision. Kaito wasn't here to explore or build. He was here to win.
"What's your strategy?" Ethan asked.
Kaito shrugged. "Buy low. Sell high. Acquire fast. Burn slow. People are assets. Time is leverage. Emotion is a liability."
Ethan frowned. "You treat people like currency?"
Kaito's smile didn't reach his eyes. "You'll learn. Sentiment slows you down."
Ethan thought of Isabelle. Her sketches. Her quiet intensity. Her belief in building something meaningful. He felt the System pulse again.
[Emotional Anchor: Isabelle Hart]
Stability: Strong
Risk: Elevated
Synergy: High
He looked back at Kaito. "I'm not playing your game."
Kaito tilted his head. "You think there's more than one?"
Ethan didn't answer. He turned and walked away, the snow crunching beneath his boots. Kaito didn't follow. He didn't need to. The message had been delivered.
There were others. And not all of them cared about legacy.
Back in his room, Ethan opened the System dashboard. A new tab had appeared: Rival Tracker. Kaito Murase was listed at the top, his progress already ahead—¥2.4 million in assets, three micro-ventures, and a growing network of influence.
Ethan stared at the numbers. He felt the pressure. But he also felt something else.
Resolve.
He wasn't going to race Kaito. He was going to outthink him. Outbuild him. And when the time came, outlast him.
Because Ethan Cole wasn't just chasing money.
He was rewriting the future.