Robert and Mia had just arrived at the rooftop of the main building of their school. Access to this place was restricted for students, but that didn't apply to our protagonist.
"Well, we're here now, a place where students don't come" - Robert sat down and stretched his legs comfortably - "Now, I want you to be as honest as possible. Let me hear you out and understand the reasons that led you to make such a scene."
Mia, who had been surveying the area, stood for a moment before deciding to sit and try to relax.
"What I'm about to tell you... it's something I don't want anyone to know. At least promise me you'll keep it a secret"
"Don't worry, Mia. No one on this earth can make me talk if I don't want to, so don't worry"
Robert replied calmly, exuding an aura of confidence.
Upon hearing this, Mia took a deep breath, mentally organized her thoughts, and began to speak.
"My father... ever since he failed to get into law school at Seoul University, he's been frustrated and turned to alcohol. Whatever little money he gets from government subsidies, he squanders on Soju... and if he doesn't have money to spend, he ends up borrowing... When he's sober, he's a good person, but when he drinks, he becomes violent and dangerous, causing scenes and disturbing the neighbors... and we don't have enough money or time to take him to rehab"
"My dad's brother, my uncle, has a mental issue. He can't take care of himself, so it falls on us to look after him... but to my dad, my uncle is a disgrace, so he abuses him whenever he can"
"And my mother, despite being sick, goes out to work wherever she can. With the little money she earns, she tries to keep the household going, but sometimes it's not enough even for food... that's why we live in the south district of Seoul, in an extremely poor neighborhood"
Mia started to recount her family's situation, a truly lamentable one. Her strained expression and slight tremors showed how difficult it was for her to talk about this, indicating a great effort on her part.
"You might think I'm a bad daughter, but I always avoided letting anyone—friends or acquaintances—know about my family's true situation... I've always lied about where I live or what my parents do... and despite loving them, I've always felt ashamed... I've even put in my all to excel and get the best grades in hopes of achieving something good, something better than what we currently have... my dream is to become a great actress"
Mia fell silent for a moment, lowering her head and hiding her face behind her hair. At this moment, she didn't want to see what impression Robert had of her.
"Well, damn... that's heavy" - after a brief silence, Robert spoke - "And I'm not one to judge you, I'm not a hypocrite. You have your reasons, and I understand. But how does that relate to what happened today?"
Mia lifted her face and saw our protagonist looking relaxed. His eyes held a calm and peaceful gaze, devoid of accusation or prejudice. His lips didn't twist in rejection; on the contrary, they seemed to show a faint smile.
This eased the girl's heart a little.
"During the last month of summer vacation last year, I was bringing my father back from a store where he'd been drinking and causing a scene as usual. On our way home, we ran into... Eunice"
"Eunice? The Eunice from our class?" - Robert had to feign a little surprise at hearing that name.
"Yes... her" - Mia's face saddened again - "Upon realizing the drunk causing a scene was my father, she started mocking me. I just wanted to disappear right then, but I couldn't think about that because my father started physically attacking Eunice"
"Did he hurt her badly?" - Robert asked.
"No, I managed to get my father to let go before it escalated... but that's when it all started... she began tormenting me at school, sometimes throwing food on my uniform, cutting my sports clothes, or pouring water on me in the bathroom... she knew I couldn't say anything, or else she'd reveal my family's secret"
Mia curled up, hugging her knees as she spoke.
"While she didn't physically harm me, the bullying became unbearable over time. I thought things would get better, that she would get bored... I thought I could endure it... but in just half a year, Eunice made sure to isolate me at school, causing me to lose all my friends one by one by spreading false rumors"
By this point, Mia had teary eyes and struggled to keep herself from breaking down.
"And when this new school year started, knowing I'd be in the same class as her was the worst thing that could have happened to me. That's why I couldn't bear it anymore and thought of a way to get out of this whole problem"
The girl paused to prevent tears from rolling down her cheeks. At this moment, Robert pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Mia, who took it and quickly wiped her teary eyes and blew her nose.
'It smells nice' - the girl thought.
"T-Thank you"
After a moment of silence, the girl continued her narrative.
"As I said, feeling fed up with this whole situation, I thought of a way to solve it... I thought if I started dating the scariest guy in school, she would stop bothering me. Before you came, I was considering telling Gunner... but after yesterday, I decided... to tell you instead"
The girl fell silent after this, looking at the handkerchief in her hands.
"So... what do you think? I know it sounds really stupid, but I didn't know what else to do"
Mia cautiously lifted her gaze and saw Robert looking at her the same way as before, only his smile was now slightly more noticeable. However, he didn't say anything in response to this.
"Phew... that's quite a story you just told me" - Robert responded after a moment - "But you're right, the decision you made is foolish."
"Yeah... I know... that's why I apologize, I didn't know what else to do"
Mia lowered her gaze again and smiled self-deprecatingly, knowing all too well it was indeed a foolish decision.
"You don't have to apologize to me, but to yourself" - Robert took out his smartphone and began typing something - "Do you know what would have happened if you got involved with someone like Gunner? That guy is a bit unhinged and very violent, not to mention he probably wouldn't have helped you at all"
"But tell me, what else could I have done?" - Mia raised her head, her face showing frustration - "Maybe because you've lived abroad, you don't understand our society here, where we live under great social pressure and where reputation and prestige matter more than a person's dignity"
Mia was a bit annoyed by Robert's words, as they were almost like the self-help phrases that appeared in newspapers, listing things you shouldn't do to avoid frustration, but offering no real solution.
"I don't know what you could have done if I hadn't come to this school. You might have ended up in a relationship with Gunner. However, now that I'm here, you do have alternatives"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Well, sweetheart, what I mean is I can help you, not only by preventing Eunice from talking about you but by helping to fix the root of all your problems, your family situation"
"I-Is what you're saying for real?" - For the first time since they arrived at this place, Mia showed emotion on her face - "I don't want you to play with me, please!"
If someone else had said those words to her, she would never have believed them. However, she didn't know why, but something inside her told her this guy was very serious.
"Hahaha, relax, I do not need to play with you" - Robert smiled calmly- "But as you know, everything comes with a price in this world, right?"
Upon hearing these words, Mia's expression completely changed. She wasn't excited anymore; now, she was anxious. She knew what these words meant and the implications they could have.
"What do you want?"
"None of those dirty thoughts in your filthy brain, pervert" - Robert tapped her forehead lightly with his fingers.
"Ouch! That hurts... and don't call me a pervert, you're the only pervert here, claiming to have many women"
"Hahaha"
Robert stood up and walked towards the fence surrounding the rooftop of the school. He stood there for a while, gazing at the horizon, while Mia's anxiety slowly grew.
"You said your dream is to be a great actress, right?" - Robert asked.
"Huh? What does that have to do with anything?" - Mia replied, slightly confused - "Yes... though it sounds stupid, that's my dream."
"Well, there's your answer" - Robert turned around and gave her a big smile, making his handsome face stand out even more - "What I want is for you to become my exclusive actress from now until you reach the top, I'll be the one managing everything for you."
"...Huh?"
....................
While Mia began to confide her problems to Robert, he was mentally focused on something else but pretended to listen to the girl.
He had been pondering why the system, which was supposed to do no harm and act in his favor, had activated the mission to defeat Gunner, clearly going against what he wanted at that moment.
'System'
Ding. Ding, ding
When Robert spoke mentally, the system screen appeared in front of him.
'Tell me, what is your mission?'
[The system is responsible for giving missions to ensure the growth of the host.]
'Ensure my growth, huh?'
Robert read the same text that had appeared since the system was activated. When he asked about its purpose, this was the text that had appeared.
But what did it mean to ensure growth?
When he asked about it, the system couldn't give him an answer. Even after the update, it couldn't answer what ensuring the growth of the host meant.
No matter how many questions he asked about this or how missions were assigned, the system didn't give any answers.
However, with yesterday's and today's events, it seemed Robert finally understood it.
'System, if I decide to be a businessman, would that go against my growth?'
[If it's the true desire of the host, the system will ensure its growth.]
'And if let's say, I truly want to be the leader of the underworld, would that go against my growth?'
[Not at all. If it's the true desire of the host, the system will ensure its growth.]
'Umm, then, if I become so strong that I have no rival in this world, even if I become a tyrant, will you still ensure my growth?'
[Of course. The purpose of the system is to ensure the growth of the host.]
Robert mentally smiled at these words which, although they seemed like the same answer, were providing a clear response.
'Indeed, that's good... so I have to decide specifically what I want so you can ensure my growth, right?'
[Affirmative, the host must desire specifically for the system to ensure its growth.]
This response made Robert's mental smile widen even more.
'It seems like until now I've been indecisive about what I want from this world, that's why you've assigned missions that were more related to my old life, right?'
[Affirmative]
'Heh, I caught you.'
Robert finally managed to understand how he could get answers from the system!
Now he knew why the system's missions, apart from the first two which were for his survival, aimed to involve Robert solely with the world of gangsters and criminals.
Now everything made sense to him.
'So that's it... I didn't think it was all because of my desire... so what will I desire from this world?'
Robert didn't ask this question to the system, but to himself, finding the answer immediately.
In a normal world, without supernatural things, there would undoubtedly be only one thing you could want:
Power, is the power to control everything and everyone.
However, in an ordinary world, how do you get 'power' quickly if you weren't born with a silver spoon?
It was easy; you just had to follow one of three possible paths.
Politics, crime, or entertainment.
Any of these three routes would lead you to power.
In this capitalist country, where almost everything is governed by advertising and fashion, entertainment was one of the most profitable and 'powerful' industries that Korea could offer.
K-pop and dramas were worldwide export materials, flooding every corner of the planet and shaping the minds of thousands of young people who fell under their spell. In an era like this, it wasn't necessary to kill yourself studying if you wanted to make money, as long as you knew what you wanted.
Any twenty-year-old girl with just a good body, a pretty face, nothing in her head, and questionable morals could earn much more money than a newly graduated doctor. There was no need to strive hard in school if you knew how to capitalize on everything at your disposal, for both men and women.
Exploiting beauty was something the entertainment world had been doing for many years, showcasing what they considered beautiful to the world and setting trends to exploit all their consumers. From there, pretty faces would always come out on top if they knew how to play the game.
If you go into politics, the path will be a bit longer, but if you know who to kiss up to, you'll be rewarded when you reach the highest positions in government, where the real business would come in the form of infrastructure concessions and favors to other politicians.
Promising and swearing before a symbol and a book on your inauguration day as an authority that you will always act with the integrity required is the biggest lie one could witness from those blood-sucking parasites that infest most governmental institutions.
On the other hand, if you delve into the world of crime, thefts, drugs, prostitution, and extortion of small businesses would be the sources of money, but the cost would be much more dangerous than in the other two paths.
Moreover, this 'underworld' had long been taken over by various societal figures who only moved in the shadows, monopolizing everything with their tentacles and eliminating any new competition that arose.
In some cases, the three paths are even interconnected, becoming a true goldmine for anyone with the courage to conquer them.
Whatever path you choose, money will ultimately come in heaps as long as you are smart and cold-blooded.
For these types of businesses, sentimentality doesn't matter because everything is based on favors, green and red numbers, so you must be willing to sacrifice even your dignity and that of others, to crush those who don't matter to prevail.
However, this isn't always enduring and almost always brings bad consequences, at least for the most careless and unconnected who unfortunately always end up paying the price.
The examples of hundreds of shattered dreams and unfulfilled promises were the tortuous paths that everyone who ventured down any of these paths had to tread.
However, this only applies to the 'normals' who are just starting, as for those who have enjoyed the peak, this is different.
Now, if you add the fact of possessing supernatural powers, what do you think would happen?
Exactly, true power!
And thinking about it, our true protagonist felt as if a dormant emotion had arisen from the depths of his being as if a dormant desire had awakened!
Ding, ding, ding
[Congratulations! You unlocked the hidden mission: the revelation of the true purpose. As a future Transcendent, the desire for true power is inherent to your nature no matter what kind of world you go to! – you have obtained 10 additional points]
[The system has detected the true desire of the host, beginning the matching phase!]
Robert's internal smile was so broad that it even showed on his face.
"So... what do you think? I know it sounds really stupid, but I didn't know what else to do."
Suddenly Mia asked.
"Phew... that's quite a story you just told me, huh" - Robert replied - "But you're right, the decision you made is really stupid"
While his mind had been racing with all these thoughts, he hadn't stopped paying attention to the girl, even responding to her occasionally.
Now, after hearing Mia's entire sad story, Robert quickly came up with an idea.
"Well... yeah, I think I know what to do with you."
"You don't have to apologize to me, but apologize to yourself" - Robert took out his smartphone and began typing something - "Do you know what would have happened if you got involved with someone like Gunner? That guy has a few loose screws and is very violent, not to mention he probably wouldn't have helped you anyway"
As he rambled on, Robert was messaging one of the women in the army with whom he had had several very close encounters. In those messages, he was proposing an offer to make money that was nothing to sneeze at.
And indeed, if he wanted to start building his empire, he needed more capital than the army was providing him!
"I don't know what you could have done if I hadn't come to this school. You probably would have ended up in a relationship with Gunner. However, now that I'm here, you do have alternatives"
"Eh? What do you mean?" - Mia asked.
"Well, darling, what I mean is that I can help you—not only by preventing Eunice from talking about you but by fixing the root of all your problems, your family situation"
"Is this really what you're telling me?" - For the first time since they arrived at this place, Mia showed hopeful emotion on her face - "Please don't play with me!"
"Haha, don't worry, I do not need to play with you" - Robert smiled calmly - "But as you know, everything has a price in this world, right?"
Mia's face changed completely. She was no longer excited but anxious.
"What do you want?" - she asked.
At this moment, it was true that Robert didn't want anything, at least not right now. Based on everything Mia had told him and the potential he saw in her, Robert decided to bet on the future.
'Let's start with this field... let's see what this new world can offer me and how I can take advantage of everything within my reach to fully enjoy my life' - Robert hummed mentally after putting away his smartphone.
"Nothing that filthy brain of yours is thinking, pervert" - our protagonist tapped her forehead lightly with his fingers.
"Ouch! That hurts... and don't call me a pervert, because you're the only pervert here, claiming to have many women"
"Haha."
The young man stood up and walked towards the railing that surrounded the entire roof of the school. He stood there for a while, looking out at the horizon, while Mia's anxiety gradually increased.
"You said your dream is to be a great actress, right?" Robert asked.
"Eh? What does that have to do with anything?" - Mia responded, slightly confused - "Yes... even though it sounds stupid, that's my dream"
Ding, ding, ding
[New special mission detected! Make Mia Woo one of the top actresses in the country, and in the process, make her yours!]
"Well, there's your answer" - Robert spoke, both to Mia and to himself as he read the system notification. He turned around and gave her a big smile, making his handsome face stand out even more.
"What I want is for you to become my exclusive actress from now until you reach the top. I will be the one managing everything for you."
"...Eh?"
While Mia didn't know what the heck those words meant, Robert was happy to have found a concrete purpose for this world.
'Transcendent, huh... a being at the top of everything, no matter which world I go to... phew, it seems like I need to stop thinking like a human and see beyond everything,' Robert hummed mentally.
'Let's start with this... let's see what this new world can offer me and how I can take advantage of everything within my reach to fully enjoy my life.'
Previously, he had planned everything from the perspective of his previous life, with the mindset of a human. It seemed he still hadn't fully accepted the fantastic nature of his situation, but now, things were changing.
Ding, ding, ding
[New updates in host statistics!]
And as if in response to this thought, the system responded.
[Status]
>Basic Information:
Name: Robert Jovanovich-Lee.
Age: 19 years old.
Race: Human (90%) / Transcendent (10%)
HP: 100 --> 150 MP: 90 --> 140
Strength: 50 --> 55 Agility: 45 --> 50 Vitality: 450 --> 550 Intelligence: 30 --> 35 Perception: 35 --> 35 Fatigue: 0
Average human value: 10 Additional points: 10
>Passive Skills:
[Unknown lvl max: no information available at the moment]
[Traveler between worlds lvl 1 --> lvl 2]
[Indomitable Spirit lvl 1]
[Unblemished Body lvl 1 --> lvl 2]
[Advanced Combat Arts lvl 3]
[Vitality Absorption (locked)]
>Active Skills:
[Sprint lvl 1]
[Physical Resistance lvl 2]