2025-08-05 16:22:43The apartment Ethan rented had paper-thin walls and flickering lights. But tonight, he sat at the edge of the worn-out mattress like he owned the world.
His phone buzzed again.
[Mission Complete. Total Earned: \$1,350][Wealth Enhancement Trait: Activated][Trait Bonus: +15% income generation, +10% charisma in financial negotiations]
A warm energy pulsed through his chest. It wasn’t painful or invasive—just a subtle change, like a light had switched on in his mind. Numbers came easier. His thoughts felt sharper. The sting of every past insult dulled.
He was changing.
Not just richer—smarter.
“Is this real?” he muttered, standing up and looking at himself in the cracked mirror above his sink.
The same face stared back: black hair messy from the night’s grind, eyes hollowed from too many sleepless nights, jaw stubbled.
But something in his gaze had shifted.
He looked... dangerous.
And the system agreed.
[New Mission Unlocked] Mission: Make your first business investment. Minimum amount: \$500. Deadline: 48 hours.Reward: Business Intuition Trait (Level 1)Penalty: Trait Lockout – No new traits for 7 days.
Ethan sucked in a breath.
He barely had \$600 after paying rent. If he failed this mission, he’d lose a week of progress—and who knew what opportunity he might miss?
“I need to move fast,” he whispered. “No more playing it safe.”
The Next Morning
He called in sick to the delivery company—not that they cared. His supervisor had stopped replying to his messages since the proposal disaster went viral.
Speaking of which…
Ethan opened social media.
The video had 2.8 million views. Captions varied:
“Broke guy proposes in public—and gets dumped HARD.” “Gold digger levels up: watch her ditch the broke dude!” “When your net worth is ₦7k and you try to act rich 🤡”
The comment section was brutal.
“LMAO I’d reject him too.”
“Bet she’s with some rich dude now.”
“Someone get this guy a therapist, not a ring.”
His jaw clenched.
He didn’t reply. He didn’t need to.
They’d see.
Soon.
Downtown, 2 hours later
Ethan sat inside a small café with a laptop he borrowed from his neighbor, scrolling through investment ideas.
Stocks? Too slow.
Crypto? Too volatile.
Franchise? Too expensive.
He almost gave up—until a flyer slapped against the glass window outside. Wind dragged it along the sidewalk.
He grabbed it.
“Mobile Coffee Cart Business – Franchise Deal, First-timers Welcome!” Initial Cost: ₦500 (~\$500 USD) Includes: Equipment, cart, branding, basic license.
A number at the bottom. A contact named “Manny.”
Ethan’s instincts fired. It was almost too perfect.
Was this the system’s doing?
He didn’t care.
He dialed the number.
1 Hour Later – A Shady Warehouse
“You sure you’ve got the cash?” Manny asked, chewing gum and scratching his beard. He looked more like a thug than a businessman—tattoos up to his neck, gold chain, and heavy boots.
“I’ve got it,” Ethan said coolly. “All in cash. ₦500.”
Manny grinned. “Smart. Banks love to take a slice.”
The cart looked legit. Small, red with a fold-up canopy, and basic coffee equipment inside. Used, but solid. The brand name “BuzzBox” was slapped across the front.
“I’ll even throw in an extra coffee bean pack,” Manny added.
Ethan nodded. “Deal.”
[Mission Update: Investment Confirmed. Business Registered.] [Reward: Business Intuition Trait (Level 1) – Activated]
The moment he sealed the deal, a rush hit his temples.
Like his brain had just downloaded a manual on small businesses.
He saw things differently now—the flow of customers, pricing strategies, cart placement, margins.
“Coffee in office districts. Discount for bulk morning orders. Add QR pay option. Boom.”
The ideas poured in.
Ethan was ready to conquer the streets.
That Afternoon – First Setup
He pushed the cart to a busy corner near a commercial plaza. Sweat poured from his brow, but his mind buzzed with energy.
His first customer was a middle-aged man in a rumpled suit.
“You selling coffee?”
“Hot and strong,” Ethan said with a grin. “First cup’s ₦100. Free donut for the first ten customers.”
“Make that two,” the man said, tossing cash.
By 3 p.m., he’d made ₦22,000.
More than two days’ worth of delivery work.
And the best part? He wasn’t answering to anyone.
That Evening – Uninvited Guests
As Ethan packed up, a sleek black Lexus pulled up by the sidewalk.
He froze.
The passenger door opened.
Out stepped Cassandra.
Her heels clicked on the pavement. Designer purse. Perfect makeup. Cold stare.
And beside her stood Liam Stone—the man who stole her, the one who humiliated Ethan in front of a crowd.
“Look who’s trying to be a businessman,” Liam sneered. “Serving coffee now? That’s an upgrade from delivering food.”
Cassandra’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “You should’ve stayed in your lane, Ethan.”
Ethan stayed silent.
Let them talk.
He wasn't the same man anymore.
“I’ll give you ₦5,000,” Liam mocked, holding out cash. “If you polish my shoes too.”
The people passing by snickered.
Cassandra leaned closer. “You’ll never win, Ethan. You’re still a nobody.”
Ethan stared at her—and smiled.
Not the fake, broken smile from before.
A calm, knowing smile.
Then he pulled out his phone.
[New Mission: Humiliate a wealthy rival publicly. Deadline: 72 hours.] Reward: Charisma Boost Trait (Level 1) Penalty: Business Shutdown for 3 days
He pocketed the phone.
Challenge accepted.
Later That Night – Planning for War
Ethan sat on the rooftop of his apartment, sipping leftover coffee, watching the city lights.
They still thought he was weak.
They had no idea.
The missions were accelerating. His growth was compounding.
And now… it was personal.
He opened a notebook and began to write:
“Target: Liam Stone”
“Objective: Destroy reputation in public”
“Resources needed: Viral campaign, witness leverage, PR sabotage”
The system rewarded results. Not hesitation.
He wasn’t going to play defense anymore.
He was going to dominate.
And make them choke on their arrogance.
The Next Mission
As he closed his eyes to sleep, the system chimed again.
[Hidden Opportunity Detected] Would you like to unlock a secret mission? Warning: Failure will result in permanent trait loss.
Ethan grinned in the darkness.
“Yes.”
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Blood on the Streets
The sirens wailed somewhere in the distance, but Ethan didn’t stop running. His shoes splashed through puddles as he cut across the darkened street, the cold night air biting into his skin. Behind him, a black SUV screeched to a halt, its tires smoking, and four men in leather jackets poured out, guns in hand.[System Alert: Hostile presence detected. Recommendation: Engage or Evade. Reward multiplier active due to heightened danger level.]Ethan’s breath was ragged, but his mind was calm. Finally, he thought, a real test.He ducked into a narrow alley, the stench of rotting garbage in the air, and pressed his back to the brick wall. The men’s footsteps echoed closer, boots crunching on gravel.“You can’t hide forever, Cross!” one of them shouted. “The boss wants your head!”Ethan smirked. “Then he should’ve sent more men.”[System Mission Generated: Neutralize all hostiles. Time Limit: 5 minutes. Reward: Combat Enhancement Level +1.]His heart pounded. A fight in a dark alley? It was
Blood on the Streets
The sirens wailed somewhere in the distance, but Ethan didn’t stop running. His shoes splashed through puddles as he cut across the darkened street, the cold night air biting into his skin. Behind him, a black SUV screeched to a halt, its tires smoking, and four men in leather jackets poured out, guns in hand.[System Alert: Hostile presence detected. Recommendation: Engage or Evade. Reward multiplier active due to heightened danger level.]Ethan’s breath was ragged, but his mind was calm. Finally, he thought, a real test.He ducked into a narrow alley, the stench of rotting garbage in the air, and pressed his back to the brick wall. The men’s footsteps echoed closer, boots crunching on gravel.“You can’t hide forever, Cross!” one of them shouted. “The boss wants your head!”Ethan smirked. “Then he should’ve sent more men.”[System Mission Generated: Neutralize all hostiles. Time Limit: 5 minutes. Reward: Combat Enhancement Level +1.]His heart pounded. A fight in a dark alley? It was
The Invisible War
The city skyline shimmered under the dying glow of dusk. Ethan sat in the back of his sleek black Maybach, his fingers drumming lightly on the armrest. The hum of the city felt different tonight. Quieter. Like it was holding its breath.“Host,” the system’s voice suddenly rang in his mind, sharper than usual. “New hidden quest detected. Warning: This task will directly impact your survival.”Ethan’s eyes narrowed. “Go on.”Hidden Quest: Eliminate the Invisible Hand. Time limit: 72 hours. Reward: Shadow Authority Trait. Penalty for failure: All accumulated traits will be locked for 14 days.Fourteen days without his enhancements? That was practically asking to be killed in the city’s cutthroat underworld.“Details,” Ethan demanded.The system’s holographic panel flashed in his mind. It displayed a map with three glowing red points scattered across the city. “The Invisible Hand is a covert network controlling political puppets, black-market trade, and assassins. They have marked you for
The Offer He Couldn’t Refuse
The rain poured relentlessly over Ravenwood City, washing the streets in silver reflections. Ethan sat alone in his penthouse study, his eyes fixed on the holographic system panel floating before him.[System Notification: Mission Complete – "Dominate the Underground Auction"]Reward Unlocked: Wealth Enhancement Trait – Tier 3Additional Reward: New Feature Activated – "Influence Network"Ethan’s lips curved into a thin smile. Tier 3 meant his assets would now generate exponential returns, and the "Influence Network" could link him to every major player in politics, business, and even the shadows. He could now pull strings instead of breaking bones—and in Ravenwood, that was real power.But there was a catch.[Warning: The Influence Network will attract attention from high-level entities. Proceed with caution.]“High-level entities…” Ethan muttered under his breath. “Just how high are we talking?”He didn’t have to wait long for an answer.A soft chime echoed in the room—ding. The encry
The Hidden Mission
Ethan woke up before sunrise, the city still wrapped in darkness. His body felt different—lighter, sharper, as if every cell was humming with energy. The system’s reward from last night still echoed in his mind.[New Trait Unlocked: Strategic Intuition] Your ability to predict outcomes and read opponents has been enhanced by 300%.It wasn’t just a title. He could feel it working. Every sound in the apartment, every faint movement outside the window, his mind analyzed instantly.Still, something gnawed at him. The last mission had been too easy. The system was never generous without a reason.“System,” he said quietly. “What’s the catch?”For a moment, there was only silence. Then the cold, mechanical voice responded:[Hidden Mission Activated: Survive the Next 72 Hours]Reward: Unknown. Failure: Permanent loss of one unlocked trait.Ethan froze. “Survive? What’s coming?”[Information withheld. The challenge has already begun.]His instincts kicked in immediately. He grabbed his phone a
The Reward and the Threat
The air in the abandoned factory still smelled of dust and fear. Ethan stood over the unconscious body of Carl Vance, the loan shark who had been terrorizing half the district. His men were sprawled across the ground, groaning and clutching their wounds.Ethan wiped the blood from his knuckles, his breathing steady. Inside his mind, the familiar cold chime rang out.[Mission Complete: Neutralize Carl Vance and his crew.][Reward: Combat Mastery Lv. 2 Unlocked.] [Bonus Reward: System Upgrade Available.]He froze. System upgrade? That was new.[Initiating Upgrade…][Estimated Time: 30 seconds.]Ethan’s muscles tensed as warmth surged through his veins, followed by a wave of clarity. Every sense sharpened—his hearing picked up the faint drip of water three rooms away, his eyes caught the twitch of a man’s finger before it even moved.When the voice returned, it was… different. Deeper. More commanding.[Upgrade complete. New Feature Unlocked: Shadow Network.] [You may now recruit and contro
You may also like
The Rise of the Son-in-law After Divorce
Enigma Stone125.2K viewsThe Ex-Billionaire Husband
Sunny Zylven76.3K viewsReturn of the son-in-law
Chessman75.1K viewsThe Secret Billionaire Son-in-law
Perry will84.2K viewsThe Rise of Lucas
Favor J11.0K viewsLegacy
Biggest Werey1.5K viewsThe rule of three
Lily Darcy1.7K viewsRise Of The Billionaire Son
Black Jewel5.7K views