Tyler sat back in his chair, staring at his phone watching as the notifications rolled in—messages from Jamal, Jax, and even some fans he hadn't heard of.
The buzz around Heart on a Sleeve was bigger than he had anticipated, but there was something else nagging at the back of his mind.
The system.
Ever since the release of Resurrection, the strange app on his phone had been quiet. He didn't know what triggered it or why it existed, but after every major milestone, it would chime in with missions and rewards. Tyler had been reluctant to acknowledge it fully, but he couldn't deny that it had pushed him to work harder and smarter. And now, with his first single officially released, he wondered if the system would reappear.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, the familiar chime rang out from his phone, louder and more distinct than any other notification. Tyler's heart raced. He picked up his phone and saw the app open itself, a notification flashing across the screen.
[Congratulations, Tyler! Mission Complete: Release Your First Single.]
[Rewards unlocked:]
[50 Rapper XP]
[Unlock: New Skill—Ad-lib Mastery (B)]
[Unlock: Songwriting Enhancement (C+)]
[Unlock: Recording Efficiency Boost (10%)]
Tyler's eyes widened as the notification disappeared, and a new screen appeared. It was a familiar sight—the attributes page.
[Rapper Attributes:]
[Level 2: 50/1500 XP]
[Bars: B-]
[Creativity: C]
[Delivery: B]
[Flow: B]
[Lyricism: A-]
[Performance: C+]
[Popularity: B-]
[Production Knowledge: D+]
[Street Cred: A]
[Work Ethic: A+]
[Skills:]
[Ad-lib Mastery (B)]
[Songwriting Enhancement (C+)]
[Recording Efficiency Boost (10%)]
He paused on his newest skill, Ad-lib Mastery. It seemed like a small thing, but ad-libs were a critical part of modern rap. If he could master them, it would elevate his music even further.
As he continued scrolling, he noticed a new progress bar at the top of the screen, labeled "XP to Next Level." He had 50 XP, but it showed he needed 1450 to reach the next rank.
"Damn," Tyler muttered. "I gotta grind for this."
The system's chime echoed in his head as he absorbed the information. He didn't know why it existed or how it was helping him, but it was clear that the more he accomplished, the more it rewarded him.
He glanced at the Ad-lib Mastery skill again and thought about how much it could improve his future projects. In rap, ad-libs were those catchy, spontaneous shouts and sounds artists dropped in to hype the track. Sometimes it was just a simple "yeah" or "uh-huh," but other times it was what made the song memorable. Tyler had always thought his ad-libs were average at best, but with this new mastery unlocked, he could step up his game and make them stand out.
"This could be the key to standing out," he thought. In the back of his mind, he knew that making it in the rap game was more than just good lyrics and beats—it was about style, personality, and presence. And Heart on a Sleeve had shown him that he had something to offer, but now he had to build on it.
He also noticed that his lyricism stat had increased from the previous B+ to an A-. He smirked, remembering how hard he had worked on his writing over the past few months, scribbling in notebooks, and practicing rhymes in his head.
If he could push his Lyricism even higher, there was no telling how far he could go.
But the other stats—his Performance and production Knowledge—needed serious work. If he wanted to dominate the game, he'd have to balance everything. The system had given him a roadmap, and now it was up to him to follow it.
Tyler stood up, stretching his arms. There was no time to waste. He had a new target in mind—leveling up his career and proving to everyone that Ty the Phoenix was no one-hit wonder.
"Time to grind," Tyler whispered to himself, a determined glint in his eyes.