The cafeteria was buzzing with chatter, laughter, and the clatter of trays. It was the first weekend after classes had officially begun, and students gathered in groups across the wide, brightly lit dining hall. The long glass windows opened out to the central courtyard where students lounged on benches, flaunting designer shoes and expensive gadgets.
Jackim and Kelvin stood in line, trays in hand. Kelvin's eyes were wide as he scanned the menu board. "Bro, look at these prices. A plate of pasta is twenty bucks. Twenty! Back in the estate, that buys two days' worth of food."
Jackim smirked. "This is Sue City University. People don't just eat to survive here. They eat to show off."
Ahead of them, a group of well-dressed students laughed loudly. One of them, wearing a golden wristwatch and a polo shirt with the logo of a luxury brand, leaned back. His name was Marvin Otieno, and his circle of friends treated the cafeteria like their private club.
Marvin caught sight of Jackim in the line and sneered. "Well, well. If it isn't Mr. Rolls Royce from the reunion. What are you doing here, Jackim? Did you mistake this place for a charity canteen?"
The comment drew laughter from the table. Even students who weren't part of Marvin's clique chuckled quietly. The cafeteria had a cruel pecking order—rich students flaunted, poor students endured.
Kelvin bristled, gripping his tray tighter, but Jackim's calm expression didn't waver.
"Why?" Jackim asked, his voice smooth. "Is eating here reserved for billionaires?"
Marvin smirked, leaning back casually. "Let's be honest. Guys like you can barely afford tap water in this place. Don't embarrass yourself. This is where real students eat, not… freeloaders."
Kelvin shot Jackim a worried glance. "Ignore him, bro. Let's just grab something cheap and sit by ourselves."
But the System's voice rang suddenly in Jackim's mind:
[New Task: Brag boldly in front of everyone. Statement: "I can pay for everyone's meal here today."]
[Reward: Instant Transfer of $50,000 to Bank Account.]
Jackim blinked. Fifty thousand? That wasn't pocket change—that was life-changing money for a student.
He looked at Marvin again, the laughter, the mocking faces, the arrogant smirks. His lips curved into a slow smile.
He placed his tray down gently and turned to the cashier, his voice carrying across the cafeteria.
"Actually," Jackim said clearly, "I'll pay for everyone's meal today."
The room fell silent. Forks froze halfway to mouths. Even the cashier, a tired-looking woman with a name tag that read Nora, blinked in shock.
"You… you mean everyone in line?" she asked hesitantly.
Jackim's smile widened. "No. I mean everyone. In this cafeteria."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. A few students laughed nervously, assuming he was joking.
Marvin threw his head back, roaring with laughter. "You hear that? This broke boy says he'll pay for all of us! Do you even know how much that is? Over two hundred students in here!"
"Yeah," another chimed in mockingly, "that's thousands of dollars. You can't even afford shoes that aren't worn out."
But before the mockery could spread further, Jackim's phone buzzed in his pocket. He slipped it out, casually holding it up.
[System Transfer Complete: $50,000 Deposited to Bank Account.]
The notification gleamed on his banking app screen. With a few swift taps, Jackim transferred a large chunk into his campus dining account. The cashier's machine beeped, confirming the transfer instantly.
Nora's eyes widened as she looked at her screen. "Sir, this… this covers more than enough. Every meal, every student here today."
The cafeteria exploded.
"What?"
"No way—did he actually just—"
"Check the register, it's real! He really paid!"
Kelvin's jaw dropped. "Bro… you actually did it."
Marvin's laughter died in his throat, replaced by stunned silence.
Jackim picked up his tray again, as if nothing extraordinary had happened. He glanced at Marvin, his tone casual but sharp as a blade.
"Now, Marvin, I think the food here is for real students. So eat up. It's on me."
The tables erupted with cheers and shouts. Some students clapped, others rushed to grab meals they couldn't usually afford. The poor students in the corner, who often ate the cheapest bread and soup, looked at Jackim with newfound admiration.
"Legend!" one shouted.
"He really slapped Marvin with money!" another laughed.
Even Lina, who had entered the cafeteria quietly with her two friends, stopped mid-step. Her eyes flickered with surprise as she took in the scene. She didn't clap, she didn't cheer, but her gaze lingered on Jackim, studying him as though reevaluating everything she thought she knew.
---
Jackim and Kelvin sat down with their food, instantly surrounded by curious eyes.
"Who is he?"
"Where did he get that kind of money?"
"Is he secretly from some billionaire family?"
Jackim ignored the whispers, calmly cutting into his steak. He wasn't here to explain himself. Let them wonder.
Marvin, meanwhile, sat rigid at his table, humiliated. His friends whispered nervously, the arrogance drained from their faces. The balance of power had shifted, and they felt it.
Kelvin leaned closer to Jackim, voice low. "That was insane. Do you realize you just made yourself the most talked-about guy on campus?"
Jackim shrugged lightly. "Talk is cheap. Let them talk. Actions matter."
Inside, though, he felt the System's hum of satisfaction.
[Task Completed: Public Brag Executed Successfully.]
[Reward Claimed: $50,000. New Passive Skill Unlocked: "Confidence Aura Lv.1" – Your presence influences crowds positively when you brag.]
Jackim exhaled softly. Confidence Aura? That explained the sudden shift in atmosphere. The way students looked at him now wasn't just admiration—it was magnetic. They wanted to be near him, to hear him, to follow him.
---
Later that evening, the news had spread across the entire campus like wildfire.
On social media groups:
> "Did you hear about the guy who paid for the whole cafeteria?"
"Rumor says his name's Jackim. Rolls Royce guy."
"Some say he's the son of an oil tycoon."
"Others think he's running some secret business."
In the dorms, students argued about his background, speculated about his wealth, and gossiped about how Marvin had been publicly humiliated.
And in her private dorm room, Lina sat quietly at her desk, scrolling through the posts. Her lips curved in the faintest smile.
"So… he's not just some poor nobody," she murmured to herself. "Interesting."
---
That night, as Jackim prepared to sleep, the System's voice returned, calm and resonant.
[Host, today you took your first true step into dominance.]
[Note: Every brag increases your influence, but every rise creates enemies. Be ready.]
Jackim stared out the window, the city lights glowing faintly in the distance. Somewhere out there, rich boys like Marvin were plotting, old flames like Sandra were watching, and powerful organizations like The WHEEL were beginning to notice.
But none of it mattered.
Because for the first time in his life, Jackim wasn't just surviving.
He was rewriting the rules.