Morning sunlight streamed through the dorm windows, spilling golden stripes across the tiled floor. The campus was alive with gossip, louder than any weekday chatter before. Everywhere Jackim walked, whispers trailed behind him like a cloak.
"Is it true? He owns that villa in Moonlight Heights?"
"I saw the posts—property records don't lie."
"How can someone who dresses like that be worth millions?"
The cafeteria, the lecture halls, the courtyard—every corner buzzed with the same topic. The villa.
Jackim walked calmly, a simple backpack slung over his shoulder. He wasn't dressed differently—still plain jeans, still a clean but ordinary T-shirt. But now, students parted unconsciously when he approached, like water flowing around a stone. The System's Confidence Aura pulsed faintly, magnifying his presence.
Kelvin struggled to keep up beside him. "Bro, you realize you've basically broken the internet, right? I've never seen anything spread that fast. Even the seniors are talking about you. Some guy in the Engineering Faculty said you're the new 'Prince of Sue City.'"
Jackim chuckled. "Prince? That's too small. I don't play for crowns—I play for kingdoms."
Kelvin whistled low. "You're dangerous, bro. I like it."
---
When they entered the lecture hall, the reaction was immediate. Heads turned. Some students whispered in awe, others glared with envy. A group of girls at the back giggled, nudging each other, their eyes following Jackim like magnets.
But one pair of eyes wasn't giggling—it was sharp, calculating. Lina Adebayo sat near the front, her notebook open, her pen poised. She didn't smile, didn't whisper. She simply studied Jackim with the calm detachment of someone piecing together a puzzle.
Jackim met her gaze briefly. This time, she didn't look away.
The professor entered, and the lecture began. Equations filled the board, complex diagrams of structural loads and shear forces. Most students groaned, already lost.
But for Jackim, the numbers aligned perfectly. His Photographic Memory from the previous System reward still echoed faintly in his mind. Each formula slid into place like gears in a machine.
Halfway through, the professor paused at a particularly complex problem. "This," he announced, "is an advanced-level design calculation. It is not part of your syllabus yet, but let's see if anyone can attempt it."
Silence filled the hall. Students shifted uncomfortably. Marvin's clique snickered, muttering insults under their breath.
"Sir," Jackim said suddenly, his voice steady, "may I?"
The professor raised an eyebrow. "Mr… Ochieng, isn't it? Very well. Come forward."
Jackim walked to the board, picking up the chalk with calm assurance. His movements were smooth, precise. He worked through the problem step by step, each line of calculation flowing without hesitation. The hall grew silent, all eyes fixed on him.
When he placed the chalk down, the professor's mouth hung open.
"…Correct. Completely correct."
Gasps filled the room. Marvin's smirk vanished. Kelvin pumped his fist in silent victory.
Lina's pen paused mid-scribble, her lips curving ever so slightly.
Jackim returned to his seat, expression unreadable. The whispers began again, louder this time.
"He solved it like it was nothing!"
"First the villa, now this? Who is he?"
"He's making everyone else look like fools."
The System's voice purred in his mind.
[Task Complete: Demonstrate dominance in academics.]
[Reward: Academic Skill Boost – Structural Engineering Lv.2.]
Jackim's mind expanded instantly, knowledge of design, calculations, and advanced theory embedding itself like second nature.
---
After class, as students spilled out into the courtyard, Marvin cornered him with his entourage.
"You think you're clever, huh?" Marvin sneered. "Flashing villas and showing off in class. Let me tell you something, Jackim—you don't belong here. Money or not, you're still trash."
Jackim looked at him coolly. "If I'm trash, what does that make you—someone humiliated by trash twice in one week?"
The group erupted with laughter at Marvin's expense. His face turned red, his fists clenched.
"You'll regret this," he hissed before storming off.
Kelvin slapped Jackim's back. "Bro, you killed him again! He's gonna need therapy at this rate."
Jackim's smile was faint. He wasn't worried about Marvin. He was worried about something bigger—the way people's eyes lingered on him, the whispers that spread faster each hour. Fame was power, but fame also painted targets.
---
That evening, Jackim's phone buzzed with a message. Unknown number.
"Meet me at the library. 7:30pm. —Lina"
Kelvin's eyes nearly popped when Jackim showed him. "Lina? The Lina? Bro, you're not just in the spotlight—you're in the sun!"
Jackim tucked the phone away. "The sun burns as much as it shines."
At 7:30, the library was nearly empty. The silence of rows upon rows of books wrapped around the place like a hushed cathedral. Lina was waiting by the window, the fading sunset outlining her silhouette in orange light.
"Jackim," she said as he approached, her tone neutral, almost businesslike.
"Lina," he replied with equal calm.
She studied him for a long moment. "You've caused quite a storm. First the cafeteria, then the party, and now today in class. Students are obsessed with you."
"Let them be obsessed," Jackim said, sliding into the chair opposite her.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "I don't believe in coincidences. No one rises this fast without backing. So tell me—what's your secret?"
Jackim leaned back, his smile faint. "Would you believe me if I said I brag and the world listens?"
For the first time, Lina's composure cracked. A laugh escaped her lips, genuine and unguarded. "That's ridiculous."
Jackim's gaze was steady. "Is it?"
The air between them grew charged. For a moment, neither spoke. Then Lina shook her head, regaining composure.
"Whatever your secret is, you've made enemies. Bryan doesn't take challenges lightly. And Marvin will stop at nothing to drag you down. Be careful."
With that, she gathered her books and stood. But before leaving, she glanced back once more, her eyes searching his face.
Jackim watched her go, the System humming quietly.
[New Quest: Gain Lina's trust.]
[Reward: Persuasion Skill Lv.1.]
Jackim exhaled softly. So this was the next step. Not just wealth. Not just dominance. Influence.
The storm was only beginning.
---
Meanwhile, across town in a penthouse suite, Bryan Muturi scrolled through the same villa posts, his jaw tightening.
"This Jackim…" he muttered. "He thinks he can walk into my world? Let's see how long he lasts."
Beside him, Sandra lounged on the couch, sipping wine. She hid her storm of emotions behind a practiced smile. But inside, regret burned.
She had traded Jackim for wealth once. Now, the boy she abandoned had returned as a man who could eclipse even Bryan.
And that terrified her.