From Suffering To Power System

3. The system

In less than ten minutes, the police and paramedics arrived on the scene. They recognized Brad immediately, as they were well acquainted with his family. Shocked to see him in that condition, they asked what had happened.

“Owen killed him,” Valentine was the first to respond. “We all saw it. He came into the party just to kill Brad, and Brad did nothing to him.”

Although she lied, everyone agreed with her, nodding their heads and even making side comments. “He just came to crash the party, and Brad simply tried to stop him. Look at how he’s dressed, you’d know we’re telling the truth.”

By that point, the paramedic crew had already wrapped Brad in a white cloth and placed him on a wheeled stretcher. They said nothing. Was he dead? Unconscious? Or just severely injured? They didn’t say. Instead, they quickly rolled Brad out of the hall while the cops grabbed Owen and slapped handcuffs onto his wrists.

“I did not murder him, you have to believe me,” Owen tried to explain, but the cops turned a deaf ear. “You don’t understand, I was framed! Officer, please listen to me!”

“Shut up!” an officer snapped. “Do you know the magnitude of what you’ve done? Have you ever heard of the Lutherson family? Brad is the heir to that empire, and you just... You’ll rot in jail. Trust me.”

Owen’s heart sank. If Valentine had simply honored him, he wouldn’t be in this mess to begin with. Unfortunately, nobody in the audience defended him. Not even the cops cared to listen to his explanations.

“I didn’t mean to hit him, I promise.”

“Save your explanation for the jury.”

Owen was thrown into the back of the police van, left with no choice but to accept his fate. He was practically alone in this world, not because his parents were dead, but because he had never met them. He had grown up in an orphanage and was sent out onto the streets as soon as he came of age.

Life had always been a struggle, yet somehow he had managed to scrape through up until this point. He had learned that poor people were never treated kindly, no matter what they did—a truth he had come to accept. Now he was on his way to jail. The Lutherson family would crush him, and might even kill him if Brad was truly dead. That thought scared him the most.

They arrived at the station twenty minutes later, and Owen was dragged out of the van. Every time he hesitated, he was punched across the face or tackled to the ground, manhandled like a notorious criminal. Entering the station wasn’t any better. Brad’s father had already heard the news and had called ahead, instructing them to lock Owen up in custody and not let him out, no matter what.

Owen was forced to write a statement, including details that never happened. He was made to paint Brad as a gentle soul who had only wanted to stop a violent party crasher. Afterward, Owen was thrown behind bars and locked in.

“You can’t leave me here, please! This isn’t fair, you have to let me out!” Owen slammed his hands against the bars, screaming at the top of his lungs. But the cops were long gone, and the entrance door closed.

“Damn it!” Owen struck the bars again and again until he was exhausted. No amount of pleading or yelling would save him from such a terrible fate. It was only a matter of time before Brad’s family arrived to end his life once and for all. After nearly three hours behind bars, he accepted it and began to look forward to death.

Hungry and exhausted, Owen lay down on the bare floor to sleep. There was no bed, just an empty cell with a bathroom. When he lay on his back, his head began to ache. At first, he thought it was the same migraine from earlier, but the pain grew worse, so intense that he had to sit up and clutch his head.

He could have called for help, but no one would come. Even if he died from whatever this was, they wouldn’t care.

[ Host’s evaluation complete ]

[ Suffering qualification met ]

[ Physical trauma ]

[ Psychological humiliation ]

Owen heard the mechanical voices, though the headache was still overwhelming. Soon, he began shaking violently on the floor as the system continued to speak.

[ Compatibility confirmed ]

[ No mercy! ]

[ You will not only get revenge on those who wronged you, but you will rise to become someone they all fear. ]

“What is happening?” Owen managed to ask as the pain slowly subsided.

A blue holographic screen appeared before him, displaying glowing characters.

[ Sovereign Reclamation System Awakened! ]

[ The host can now complete basic system tasks to earn rewards. ]

Owen raised an eyebrow. “System?” He knew what it was and how it worked, but every system had its perks, and as the host, he needed to understand them before proceeding. One thing was clear, with the help of the system, he would break out of here and prove to everyone that he was just as powerful as they were.

Without further ado, he requested the status tab, and it appeared before him.

[ Name: Owen ]

[ Rank: F ]

[ EXP: 0 ]

[ Assets: None ]

[ Tasks completed: 0 ]

[ Strength: 10% ]

[ Endurance: 5% ]

[ Skills: None ]

[ Inventory: Empty ]

[ Reputation Meter: 0% (Poor) ]

[ Cash Rewards: $0 ]

[ Accumulated EXP is used to rank up. The reputation meter increases with every completed task and determines how quickly you rise to power. Assets may be purchased, gifted, or received as system rewards. Cash rewards will be deposited into your bank account immediately after task completion. ]

[ Limitations: Tasks are not negotiable and must be completed within twenty-four hours unless stated otherwise. Failure will result in the withdrawal of the system, returning you to the state you were in before I met you. ]

[ Do you understand? ]

The voice was stern and final.

“Yes,” Owen nodded. “I understand.”

[ First Task ]

[ Once the countdown is complete, the bars will be unlocked. You must leave the station, either sneak out or fight your way through. ]

[ 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… ]

Owen stared in disbelief as the cell door unlocked itself. He hadn’t touched it when it swung open.

At the same time, the entrance door opened, and the same officer who had thrown him in stepped inside.

[ Strength enhanced +20% ]

[ Fight! ]