2026-09-14 23:21:45Ethan walked home under the streetlights with a light step. The quest was done. The system had kept its word again. He could have checked the reward right there on the sidewalk, but he wanted to do it alone, in quiet.
By eleven he was back in the small apartment. The place still felt empty without Sophie. Her shampoo smell lingered in the hallway. He took a long hot shower, letting the water wash away the city’s noise and the day’s strange meals. When he finally sat on the edge of his bed, he touched the eye tattoo on his palm.
The screen appeared at once.
[Daily Quest completed successfully.]
[Please open Inbox for reward selection.]
Ethan’s heart beat faster. “Open Inbox.”
[Congratulations. You have earned the right to choose a foundational profession within the Wealth System.]
[Choose carefully. The path you select will shape all future growth.]
A list of jobs scrolled by—Entrepreneur, Film Producer, Investor, Actor, and many others that promised money and status. Ethan skimmed past most of them. Acting made him almost laugh. Pretending for a living had never interested him.
None of the choices matched the quiet dream that had followed him for years.
He spoke out loud instead of trying to type. “Can I ask for a profession that is not on the list?”
The screen flickered while it thought.
[Custom professions are permitted.]
[Rarity increases the required price. State your request.]
Ethan did not hesitate. Years of playing The Grand Master Alchemist in the library, of reading every story about healers and pill makers, of watching the rich family that had thrown his father away, all narrowed into one clear wish.
“I want to become a Grand Alchemist and Healer.”
A long pause. Then the reply appeared, cold and absolute.
[Ancient dual profession—Healer and Alchemist—accepted.]
[Price: permanent severance of primary emotional bond with current partner, Mia.]
[This condition is non-negotiable.]
[Offer expires in three hours.]
Ethan’s breath stopped.
Sever ties with Mia.
The words sat in the air like a knife. They had been together for almost three years. She was the one person who had stayed through the money problems, the nights he came home exhausted from the bar, the long stretch when he had almost given up. The idea of cutting her away felt impossible.
His hands started shaking. What if I say no? What if the system takes everything back? Sophie is still in that hospital bed. The surgery is only the start. Medicine. Care. Days of recovery. If I lose this chance, how do I keep her safe? The fear hit so hard he felt sick for a second.
Before he could protest, a second message arrived.
[Additional reward unlocked: Nine Heavenly Path Technique Manual (AI-integrated).]
[Contents: traditional medicine, ancient runes, symbolic writing, foundational spiritual techniques.]
[Manual integration window: two hours thirty minutes remaining.]
[Failure to complete the profession acceptance will forfeit all prior progress and trigger system penalty.]
Panic flared. The clock was already running.
Ethan’s thoughts spun toward Sophie. The surgery deposit was paid, but the hospital bills would keep coming. He needed real power, real money, if he was going to keep her safe. The rich family that had erased his father still lived in their glass tower. Cousin David walked around like a prince while Ethan and Sophie scraped by. Pharmacy school had been Ethan’s attempt to reclaim something. Money had ended it.
An hour slipped past while he sat frozen on the bed. The three-hour window kept shrinking. In the end he reached for his phone and called Mia five times. No answer.
He pulled on a thick jacket and left the apartment. The wind was sharp. Mia’s building was only a short walk away. The street was nearly empty. An old lamppost cast a yellow circle on the pavement. Ethan paced under it, breath fogging, waiting.
Car brakes squealed. A low, expensive engine purred to a stop a few meters away. A sleek black sports car. The passenger door opened and familiar laughter spilled out—Mia’s laughter, soft and playful.
Two silhouettes leaned together in the front seats. Their mouths met in a long, unhurried kiss.
Ethan stood under the lamppost and watched. His stomach dropped so hard he almost bent over. For a second the world tilted. Heat rushed up his neck and his hands went cold. The one person he had trusted was kissing someone else in a car that cost more than his family made in a year.
He took one step closer, heart hammering, the eye tattoo warm against his skin. Sophie’s face flashed in his mind—pale, still, waiting in that hospital bed. The system’s deadline ticked quietly in the back of his head.
The price it asked suddenly felt both impossible and strangely clear.
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Chapter 20
The loud pop of the silver pistol cut through the night air, and a small metal bullet tore straight toward Ethan's chest with deadly speed.Time seemed to slow down to a crawl. Ethan pulled Sophie behind his back with his left hand, his eyes locked on the flying piece of lead. The Nine Heavenly Path Technique surged through his veins, filling his fingers and palms with blinding speed. He did not dodge or jump out of the way. He raised his right hand in front of him and caught the bullet right out of the air between his thumb and index finger.A sharp metallic ring echoed through the quiet alley.Silence fell instantly over the entire street.David stopped smiling. His mouth stayed wide open, his eyes popping out in
Chapter 19
The heavy iron hatch sealed shut behind them, cutting off the roar of the fire and the choking smoke of the burning tower.Ethan stood in the dim light of the drainage tunnel, his arm wrapped firmly around Sophie to keep her steady. The air down here smelled damp and old, but it was clean enough to breathe. The distant sound of rushing water echoed through the concrete pipes, mixing with the low rumble of traffic far above their heads in the city streets of Lagos.We cannot stay here long, Victoria said, clicking off her small emergency flashlight to save the battery. My uncle Marcus controls the municipal security cameras. If he realizes we escaped through the drainage system, he will have every sewer exit blocked within ten minutes.Sophie looked up at Ethan, her face pale
Chapter 18
Thick gray smoke rolled through the open doorway like a creeping monster, filling the underground room with a sharp, choking chemical smell.Ethan pulled Sophie closer against his chest, wrapping his jacket tighter around her face to keep her from breathing the poisonous air. Her eyes were wide with fear, and her small hands grabbed onto his shirt.Don't worry, Sophie. I am right here. You are going to be okay, Ethan said, his voice steady even as his heart raced.Victoria stood near the edge of the smoke, coughing slightly as her face turned pale with fury. Her uncle Marcus was not just trying to trap them. He was planning to burn the entire lower level down and bury every secret of Sterling Holdings in ash.My unc
Chapter 17
The iron door slammed shut with a heavy, final sound, plunging the small medical room into total blackness.Ethan stood frozen in the dark. The cold air felt heavy against his skin. He reached down and touched the bed again, his fingers tracing the cold plastic of the oxygen mask. It was empty. The monitors were completely dead.Victoria stood near the door, her breathing shallow. Even in the dark, her voice cut through the silence with sharp surprise.This was not supposed to happen, Victoria said, her usual calm tone finally cracking. I gave strict orders. She was supposed to be kept as leverage, not moved or harmed.Ethan did not answer her. He closed his eyes and let his mind go quiet. For the past two days, sin
Chapter 16
The elevator shook violently and stopped dead between floors. The bright overhead lights blinked out completely. Only the dim, red emergency glow remained, casting long shadows across the small metal box.Victoria did not even flinch. She stood her ground in the dark cabin, her dark leather coat brushing against Ethan's arm as the robotic voice echoed from the ceiling speaker about the facility lockdown.It looks like my security team is very efficient, Victoria said, her voice entirely calm. They realized I was compromised and cut the power. We are stuck between floors, Mr. Rivers. And the air in this shaft is on a timed filter.Ethan kept the alchemical needle pressed firmly against her neck. He did not care about the lockdown or the dark elevator shaft. His mind was fixed
Chapter 15
The sound of heavy tactical boots filled the ruined office as a dozen armed guards fanned out across the room, locking down every exit. Victoria Sterling stood at the front, her dark leather coat catching the light of the city below. She looked down at David, who was still scrambling backward on the floor like a frightened dog, then turned her sharp gaze back to Ethan.Put that down, David, Victoria said again, her voice completely calm and deadly.David dropped the metal statue with a loud clatter. He scrambled to his feet, pointing a trembling finger at Ethan. Aunt Victoria! He broke in! He destroyed the office and tried to kill me! Make these men shoot him right now!Victoria did not even glance at her nephew. She kept her cold eyes fixed on Ethan.
