The air at Sue City University buzzed with gossip. Everywhere Jackim went, eyes followed him. From the canteen to the library, whispers shadowed his every step.
"Isn't that him? The Shadow King?"
"Damn, he looks even taller in person…"
"Shhh! Don't let Bryan's crew hear you. They'll flip."
Jackim walked as if the world around him didn't matter. Tall, dark, broad-shouldered, his black hoodie pulled casually over his head. His strides were slow, steady, deliberate. Every step spoke of confidence carved in fire.
Kelvin scurried beside him, phone in hand, reading aloud the online comments. "Bro, listen to this—someone just tweeted: 'Shadow King is the main character we've been waiting for.' Another one says: 'He doesn't even need to fight, his aura alone dominates.'"
Jackim's lips barely curved. Not pride, not amusement—just acknowledgment. Fame was no more than a tool. Tools were meant to be wielded.
---
The campus quad was unusually crowded that afternoon. Jackim and Kelvin were halfway across when Bryan's black Mercedes screeched to a halt nearby. The door swung open, and Bryan stepped out, sharp suit, sharp jawline, but his eyes carried venom.
Sandra slid out after him, dressed elegantly in red, her heels clicking against the stone pavement. She looked stunning, flawless, every hair in place. Yet her gaze kept flicking toward Jackim, as though magnetized.
"Jackim," Bryan's voice carried across the quad, drawing attention like a megaphone, "enjoying your little fame, huh? The whole campus is talking. Too bad all that glory is borrowed. Internet fame doesn't last."
Whispers rippled through the students. Phones were out, recording. This was going to be another scene.
Jackim didn't break stride. He walked straight past, Kelvin struggling to keep up.
The dismissal was deliberate. Sharp. Like Bryan wasn't even worth his time.
The crowd gasped. Bryan's face twisted, fury spilling like ink. "You—!"
But before he could finish, a voice cut through the noise.
"Jackim!"
Everyone turned.
It was Lina.
The campus goddess. Cold, elegant, the girl every rich boy chased and every poor boy dreamed about. She walked across the quad like sunlight through mist, her long hair flowing, her white dress brushing lightly against her knees.
She stopped right in front of Jackim.
Then—she did the unthinkable.
She slipped her arm through his.
Gasps erupted.
"What the hell—?!"
"No way! Did she just—?!"
"Lina and… Jackim?!"
Bryan's jaw nearly unhinged. Sandra's eyes widened, lips parting in silent shock.
Lina leaned close, her voice low enough for only Jackim to hear. "Play along. Just… pretend."
Jackim tilted his head, unreadable. "Why?"
"Because Bryan won't leave me alone," she whispered, her grip tightening around his arm. "He won't take no for an answer. You're the only one he fears right now."
For the first time, her cold goddess mask cracked. Beneath it was vulnerability.
The System chimed.
[Special Task Generated: Brag about being engaged to a campus goddess.]
[Reward: Mysterious Engagement Ring, +$1,000,000, Charm +50.]
Jackim's lips curved—barely. A flicker of a smile that no one could read.
He raised his voice just enough for the crowd to hear. "Engaged, huh? You should've told me earlier, fiancée."
The crowd exploded.
"ENGAGED?!"
"No way, is this for real?!"
"Shadow King just bagged the goddess of the campus!"
Lina's face flushed crimson. She hadn't expected him to escalate like that. But she couldn't back out now—not with Bryan's furious eyes drilling holes into her.
Jackim's hand slipped into his pocket. The System glowed faintly, and suddenly, a small velvet box materialized in his palm.
He opened it smoothly. Inside was a dazzling diamond ring—cut so pure, so flawless, it seemed to capture the very sunlight.
Gasps turned into shrieks.
"Oh my god, it's real!"
"That ring alone… that has to be worth millions!"
"He's not joking. He's DEAD serious."
Jackim took Lina's hand. She stiffened, heart hammering, but he slid the ring onto her finger anyway.
"From now on," he said quietly, his voice carrying that dangerous calm that shook even the boldest souls, "no one bothers you."
The words weren't loud. Yet they struck like thunder.
Bryan's chest heaved, rage consuming him. His fists trembled. Sandra grabbed his arm nervously, but it only made him yank away from her touch.
"You think this will last, Jackim?" Bryan spat. "You think you can just steal my spotlight and walk away?!"
Jackim's gaze locked with his—steady, cold, final. "I don't steal. I simply take what I want."
The crowd lost it. Cheers, screams, wild laughter—it was chaos.
Bryan stormed back into his Mercedes, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the frame. Tires screeched as he sped off. Sandra stood frozen, staring at Jackim with eyes full of something dangerous—regret.
Lina, meanwhile, pulled her hand away once they were out of the crowd. Her cheeks burned, her chest heaved. "You didn't have to say engaged."
Jackim glanced at her calmly. "Would you rather I said married?"
Her mouth fell open, speechless. She wanted to snap at him, but the way he said it—low, cool, effortlessly dominant—made her pulse race. She turned away quickly. "Tch. Don't get used to it. This is only temporary."
Kelvin, meanwhile, was practically bouncing. "Bro! BRO! That was legendary! The whole campus saw it! You're not just Shadow King now—you're fiancé of the goddess! Do you realize what you just did?!"
Jackim walked on calmly, as though nothing had happened. "I set the rules."
The System chimed again.
[Task Complete: Brag about being engaged to a campus goddess.]
[Reward Claimed: Mysterious Engagement Ring (Bound to Host), +$1,000,000, Charm +50.]
Jackim felt it instantly. The ring shimmered faintly on Lina's finger, a system-bound treasure. Not just jewelry—it radiated an aura of authority, warding off malicious intentions.
And the surge of charm? He felt the stares intensify, the whispers shift from envy to reverence. Even those who hated him now found themselves unable to dismiss his presence.
---
That evening, Jackim stood on his villa balcony, city lights stretching like jewels in the distance. Kelvin lounged nearby, scrolling through endless posts, grinning ear to ear.
"Bro, people are shipping you and Lina like crazy. 'Campus Power Couple,' 'Shadow King x Goddess'—man, this is insane!"
Jackim exhaled slowly, his voice carrying the weight of storms. "Attention is good. But attention also attracts snakes."
The System's voice rang, colder this time.
[Warning: Host has drawn the gaze of multiple hostile forces.]
[The WHEEL has marked Host as a target.]
Jackim's eyes narrowed. The WHEEL again. An organization in shadows, pulling strings behind the scenes. Their attention meant danger—but also opportunity.
His gaze hardened as he whispered into the night. "If the WHEEL wants to play… then let them come."
The lights of the city flickered below, unaware that the storm had already begun.