Reyan Hart stood still, drenched in disbelief, as the words echoed like a slap.
"It's over, Reyan. You're holding me back."
Selena's tone was flat—too calm for someone who had just thrown away a three-year relationship.
He had chased her across campus after class, already sensing the change. She'd stopped answering texts. Her smile had faded. And now, here it was—confirmation.
But what hit harder than the words was the fact that she didn't even look guilty.
"Is it… because of Damon?" Reyan asked quietly, trying not to sound as small as he felt.
Selena looked away.
That was answer enough.
"You know what he's done to me. You know what his family did to my father—"
"I don't want to talk about your dead dad," she snapped, arms folding tightly. "I want a future. Not one tied to a guy who's... stuck in the past, chasing ghosts."
That last sentence cracked something inside him.
Before he could say another word, someone grabbed his shoulder from behind.
"Hey, loser. She said it's over."
Reyan turned just in time to catch the fist to his jaw. His head whipped sideways. He barely had time to process the second blow before two more of Damon's goons surrounded him.
They didn't even care they were on campus.
Didn't care people were watching.
Reyan tried to shield himself, but the hits came fast—gut, ribs, knee. Someone kicked his leg from behind, and he dropped to the pavement hard.
He heard Selena walk away in heels.
He tasted blood in his mouth.
Somewhere in the haze, as the boots finally stopped stomping and the voices faded, he lay still… body shaking, heart burning, pride shattered.
And then—
[System initializing…]
[Subject confirmed…]
A faint chime echoed in his mind. Mechanical. Distant.
Then, darkness.
The smell of antiseptic was the first thing he noticed.
Then the sharp white lights. A steady beeping from a monitor.
His eyes blinked open slowly.
"He's awake."
The nurse's voice floated somewhere beside him, but Reyan didn't respond. His throat felt dry, his body heavier than stone.
"College infirmary," he muttered under his breath.
It took effort to even sit up. His ribs ached. His lip was swollen. Someone had bandaged the cut on his brow.
He looked around — then froze.
Something was hovering in front of his face. A... screen?
Like a glowing sheet of glass, translucent and flickering.
[Fortune Ascension System – Bound to: Reyan Hart]
Welcome, host.
He blinked hard.
Then rubbed his eyes.
Still there.
"…What the hell?"
His heart raced. Had the beating knocked something loose in his brain? Was this some kind of psychosis?
He reached for the call button — but the interface flickered again.
You are not hallucinating. The system is real.
You have been chosen. Your path toward fortune begins now.
Reyan's mouth went dry.
This had to be a dream.
"I've gone mad," he whispered.
Not yet. But close.
Would you like to begin your first task?
He stared.
Then, without thinking, nodded.
The interface shifted.
[Initial Mission – Tier: Low]
[Objective: Make someone genuinely smile.
Reward: ₲10,000 +1 Confidence (permanent)
Time Limit: 3 hours]
"What kind of messed-up joke is this...?"
[Complete this task to unlock further system functions.
Good luck, host.]
And just like that — the screen dimmed.
Reyan lay back on the infirmary bed, heart pounding in his chest.
He wasn't sure what was more insane: the pain in his body, the fact he was hearing voices in his head… or the strange, quiet part of him that wanted to try.