The faint morning light poured through the apartment blinds, painting soft lines across the living room floor. Kyler sat at the dining table, sipping black coffee as the clock on the wall ticked toward 8 a.m.
He looked at his phone — the unread company emails, the scheduled huddle reminders, the endless queue of customer calls waiting to be answered. For a moment, he just stared at the screen, then quietly placed it face down.
Today was the day.
After years of handling voices from around the world, calming angry customers, meeting impossible quotas, and living off caffeine and willpower, Kyler Villamor finally made his decision. He'd already submitted his resignation letter last night.
No drama. No fanfare. Just a clean end to a five-year grind.
Ashley walked out of the kitchen, towel draped over her shoulder.
"You're not logging in yet?" she asked, eyebrow raised.
Kyler smiled softly. "Nope. I'm done."
"Done?" she echoed, tilting her head.
"I resigned," he said calmly, as if he'd just mentioned doing the laundry. "I'm thinking of working from home instead. Something quieter, something that lets me spend more time here."
Ashley blinked, uncertain whether to be shocked or relieved. "You're serious?"
Kyler nodded, his voice steady. "We've been through enough. I just want to be around for you and the kids more. And… I have some things I'm planning."
She smiled faintly, though concern flickered behind her eyes. "As long as we're okay, I'll trust you."
He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "We'll be better than okay."
---
That afternoon, after Ashley took Hazel and Nicko to visit her sister, Kyler sat quietly in the living room, laptop open but untouched. His thoughts drifted to the System Interface — that invisible screen only he could access.
It shimmered faintly before him.
> Skill Creation Available. Cooldown: Ready.
He took a deep breath. For the past few months, he'd built wealth silently through trading, letting his earlier skills handle the logic and timing. But now, a deeper concern echoed in his mind — the stabbing incident with his coworker.
What if someone like that targeted his family?
He closed his eyes.
If he was truly going to protect them, he needed something beyond foresight — something that would make him untouchable in the moment.
He whispered:
> "Create skill: Reflex Combat Mastery."
The system pulsed silently. No voice. No confirmation sound. Just a single text line that appeared briefly before fading.
> Skill Created. Active.
Kyler opened his eyes, feeling… nothing dramatic. No surge of power, no rush of energy. Just a subtle clarity — like his senses aligned perfectly with the rhythm of the room.
He stood up slowly, walking toward the kitchen. As he passed by the counter, a glass began to fall off the edge — too quick for a normal reaction.
Without thinking, his hand shot out, catching it midair before it even clinked.
He blinked. His heart didn't even race. His body had simply moved.
A calm smile crept across his face.
> "Perfect," he murmured.
---
That evening, Ashley returned with the kids, the apartment filled with laughter and chatter again. Hazel ran to him holding a small toy cat, Nicko tugged at his arm to show a drawing.
Kyler listened, smiled, and stayed present. The world outside could chase chaos all it wanted — here, inside this quiet space, time was his.
The system waited silently in the background, cold and efficient, as if reminding him:
> Next Skill Creation Available in 24 hours.
But for now, he didn't need it.
Kyler Villamor had all he wanted — his family, his peace, and the quiet strength to protect both without anyone ever knowing what he was capable of.