The sun spilled gold across Sue City University's lawns, turning the graduation banners into sheets of flame. The campus buzzed with noise — laughter, camera shutters, proud parents, and the low murmur of dreams finally reaching the finish line.
For most students, it was the happiest day of their lives. For Jackim, it was just another mission.
He walked across the courtyard in a simple black suit — clean, sharp, quiet. No bodyguards. No flashy watch. Just that confident stride that turned heads wherever he went.
"Bro, that's him," whispered one student. "The system guy. The hotel owner."
"Cap! That dude? He was in our Economics class. I borrowed his pen last semester."
"No way someone that quiet owns half the city!"
But whispers had wings. They traveled faster than sound, faster than truth — and by the time Jackim reached the auditorium gates, everyone already had a story about him.
Inside, the graduation ceremony unfolded like a movie. The dean droned on about discipline and vision, while parents fanned themselves and took endless pictures. But when Jackim's name appeared on the list — "Jackim Ochieng, B.Com, First Class Honors" — a ripple passed through the crowd.
Even the principal blinked twice.
He hadn't seen that name in a while.
At the far end of the hall, Sandra sat in a tight silver dress, her hair perfectly done, her new boyfriend Bryan beside her — Bryan, the self-declared campus prince who once mocked Jackim for being "too broke to afford lunch."
Sandra's eyes kept darting toward the VIP section where Jackim sat. She tried to act calm, but her heart thudded like a faulty speaker. He wasn't supposed to come. He was supposed to be nursing his wounds, forgotten, somewhere.
But there he was — calm, glowing, dangerous in silence.
"Is that really him?" Bryan chuckled, loud enough for nearby students to hear. "Man's still dressing like an accountant on probation. I thought billionaires wore gold."
Laughter followed — shallow, nervous laughter.
Jackim heard it. He didn't react. He simply leaned back and sipped his water.
Then, a System notification flickered across his vision.
> 💬 Task Activated: "Brag about being the biggest donor in university history."
Reward: Naming rights to campus main hall + Reputation Level +100
He smiled faintly. "So that's how we're doing this today?" he murmured under his breath.
When the dean called for the "Donor Acknowledgment Speech," Jackim stood up. No one expected it — not even the faculty. The room hushed.
"Good afternoon," he began, his voice steady, the kind of tone that made people sit up straighter without knowing why.
"I joined this university like any of you — broke, confused, and just hoping the cafeteria food wouldn't kill me. I remember borrowing books I couldn't afford. I remember begging the Wi-Fi to connect during exams."
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
"But today," he continued, sliding his hand casually into his pocket, "I want to return the favor. I'm donating twenty million dollars to Sue City University — to build a new Research and Innovation Center."
The hall froze. Then someone gasped. Then another. Then it was chaos — a roar of disbelief, cheers, phones snapping, live streams starting.
Sandra's glass of juice slipped from her hand and shattered.
Bryan's smile died halfway.
The dean nearly dropped his microphone. "T-twenty… million?"
Jackim nodded, amused. "You heard me right. I'll send the transfer in an hour. And please—" he looked directly at Bryan, "make sure it's not used to buy new speakers for the canteen."
The crowd exploded in laughter.
Even the dean had to smile.
The System chimed again.
> ✅ Mission Complete: "Brag about being the biggest donor."
Reward Unlocked: Naming Rights to Campus Hall.
New Name: JACKIM OCHIENG INNOVATION CENTER.
As if on cue, screens across the hall flashed his name in bold.
JACKIM OCHIENG INNOVATION CENTER — Coming Soon.
It was poetic. It was petty. It was perfect.
Outside the hall, reporters swarmed him.
"Sir, are you really a billionaire?"
"Are you dating the CEO's daughter?"
"Is it true you started from nothing?"
Jackim just smiled. "I'm just a graduate like everyone else — except I added a few zeroes along the way."
That line went viral before he even left campus.
Later that evening, at the graduation afterparty, things took another turn. The rooftop of the Luxora Club glittered with neon lights. Champagne popped, cameras flashed, and the city below pulsed with life.
Lina stood by the bar in a crimson dress, stealing glances at him. Ariana arrived too — calm, beautiful, the woman who'd stood by him through storms.
Sandra showed up last. Alone. Her makeup couldn't hide the regret written across her face.
She approached Jackim hesitantly. "Jack… can we talk?"
He didn't turn. "About what, Sandra? The weather?"
"I… I was stupid. I didn't see who you were becoming. I—"
"Stop." He finally faced her. His voice was soft, but it hit like a punch. "You saw who I was. You just didn't think I'd ever change. That's the problem with people like you — you only clap when others are already on stage."
Her eyes welled up. "Please, Jackim, I—"
Before she could finish, Bryan staggered in, already drunk.
"There's the fake billionaire!" he shouted, slamming his drink down. "All this talk about money — prove it, man! Let's see the receipts!"
The crowd turned. Phones rose again.
Jackim chuckled. "Receipts? Fine."
He took out his phone, tapped twice, and handed it to the DJ.
The DJ's eyes widened. He projected the screen onto the rooftop wall.
A live transfer confirmation glowed across the screen:
$20,000,000 — Donation to Sue City University — Completed.
Silence. Then the entire place erupted in cheers.
Bryan turned pale.
Sandra fainted. Literally.
And Jackim — he just walked past them both, straight toward Ariana.
"Guess your graduation gift broke the internet," she teased, handing him a glass of wine.
He grinned. "I didn't mean to brag."
"You always mean to brag."
He laughed. "Yeah, maybe a little."
Then the music softened. Lina walked toward him, heart pounding.
She took the mic from the DJ. "Before this night ends…" she said, voice trembling, "…I need to say something."
Everyone turned. Even Ariana looked curious.
"I misjudged you, Jackim," Lina said. "I thought you were chasing dreams too big for you. I was wrong. You weren't chasing — you were building."
The crowd murmured.
Then, to everyone's shock, she confessed softly, "I love you."
Ariana froze.
The System flickered again in his mind — but this time, the text was crimson.
> 💬 "Love Conflict Detected — Emotion Tier Mission Active."
Reward: Emotion Insight Skill.
For a moment, the world slowed.
He looked at Lina — her voice raw, her eyes shining. Then at Ariana — silent, proud, hurt.
The new ability activated automatically.
He didn't just see them. He felt them.
Lina's heart was chaos — regret, hope, fire.
Ariana's was steady — love laced with pain, unspoken fear.
Jackim closed his eyes for a second, trying to steady his breath.
When he opened them again, he smiled — not his usual confident grin, but something softer.
"Thank you, Lina," he said quietly. "For being honest."
Ariana stepped forward. "And I'm not stepping aside," she said, voice calm but fierce.
The crowd whistled. Someone shouted, "Love triangle alert!"
Even Jackim laughed. "You two just turned my graduation into a telenovela."
But beneath the laughter, something stirred.
For the first time, he realized he wasn't fighting business rivals or old ghosts — he was fighting his own heart.
Later that night, when the crowd dispersed and the lights dimmed, Jackim stood alone on the rooftop, staring over Sue City's skyline.
The neon glow reflected in his eyes.
He whispered to himself, "From here… there's no turning back."
The System pulsed softly.
> 💬 "Congratulations, Host. You've completed your emotional milestone."
Reward Granted: Emotion Insight Skill — Level 1 Activated.
And for the first time, the System didn't sound like a machine.
It sounded almost… human.