Max trudged back to his apartment late that night, his feet aching from another long shift. He'd worked an extra five hours after his usual duties, cleaning the cafeteria. The quest reward was nice, sure, but it didn't change the fact that he was still living paycheck to paycheck. Still scraping by. The few coins he had now barely amounted to a meal for the next few days, but it was progress. That's what he told himself.
His phone buzzed again as he walked into his apartment, the dim glow of the screen offering a brief respite from the overwhelming exhaustion gnawing at his bones. Max opened it, half-expecting another simple quest.
"Quest Available: Start a Small Business to Begin Your Path to Wealth. Reward: 20 Coins."
Max blinked. Start a business? The system was asking him to start a business?
He stared at the notification for a while, unsure of what to make of it. He wasn't exactly business savvy. He didn't have the capital, the connections, or the expertise to start anything. And yet, the system seemed to believe it was possible, if not necessary.
The notification lingered on the screen, taunting him with its simplicity.
"Available Quest: Open a small business in your current location to begin your path to wealth. Reward: 20 Coins."
Max rubbed his eyes and sat down on the couch. This didn't make sense. He had nothing to start with. No resources, no funding. How was he supposed to open a business with a few coins and no real plan?
The system, it seemed, was waiting, offering him more. He tapped on the quest description, and a new screen opened with more details. The interface was simple, but now, it felt like Max was seeing it in a different light.
The details didn't provide much more clarity. It just said he could start a business with the resources he had. The system didn't specify what resources, but there was something else that caught his attention: the phrase, Leverage your job pay.
Max frowned. Leverage his job pay? What did that even mean? He checked the bottom of the screen and saw a new button labeled Job Boost Activated. He tapped it out of curiosity.
The system updated with a new message:
"You now earn 5x your normal pay rate due to your system's influence.
Current Job Pay: $8/hour
Boosted Pay: $40/hour"
Max stared at the screen in disbelief. His pay—his measly $8 an hour—was now worth $40 an hour? This was impossible. He double-checked the notification, making sure he hadn't misread it.
It was true. He had no idea how or why, but this was real. The system was changing things. It was giving him something more. And it was telling him he could use his job to fund a business. Even if he didn't have much now, the boost was significant. He could actually start saving. He could build something.
Max felt his pulse quicken. The idea of starting a business had always been a distant dream. It seemed like something only the wealthy or the well-connected could manage. But now, with the system's help, it was within reach.
He quickly pulled up the Shop again, searching for anything that could help him get started. The items were still mostly basic, things like food, health potions, and a few boosts. Nothing too extravagant. But then, he saw something that caught his eye: Job Boost. It seemed like the logical choice—if it made his work pay five times more, it would give him a solid foundation to build on.
Max clicked on Job Boost, and a confirmation popped up:
Item Purchased: Job Boost Activated. You now receive 5x the normal pay at your job.
The screen flickered briefly before confirming the transaction. Max checked his bank account immediately. It had updated already—he had an extra $120 from his shift tonight alone. The difference was staggering. It was more than he'd made all week.
Feeling a surge of excitement, Max went back to the quest. He had the funds now. He had a way forward. But the next part of the quest still confused him. It was asking him to start a business. He didn't know where to begin, but the system's quest seemed to suggest that the process was simpler than he imagined.
He tapped the quest again, hoping for more details. A new menu opened, showing a list of possible business options. Max felt a flutter of uncertainty. Online Retail Store, Local Food Stall, Freelance Service Provider—none of these seemed remotely possible for him. He didn't have any products to sell, he didn't have the space for a food stall, and a service provider seemed too vague to be useful. What did it even mean?
He tapped the Freelance Service Provider option out of sheer desperation. At least it was something that didn't require much upfront cost.
The system responded immediately:
Business Idea Selected: Freelance Service Provider
Initial Investment: 5 Coins
Objective: Secure your first client.
Max rubbed his temples. It felt like he was moving too fast, like the system was pushing him into this. He hadn't even fully understood what he was doing, but he couldn't afford to hesitate. He was running out of time, and opportunities like this didn't come often.
The system displayed another list of options, all freelance services he could offer. Cleaning Services, Delivery Driver, Online Tutoring, Tech Support, Handyman Services—each one was straightforward enough, but Max wasn't really qualified for most of them. The cleaning and delivery options felt too similar to his current job, and handyman services were out of his league. But tutoring? That seemed like something he could manage. He'd done some tutoring back in high school, helping classmates with their work. He could handle that.
He clicked on Online Tutoring, and the system's interface shifted again.
Service Selected: Online Tutoring
Start up cost: 5 Coins
Objective: Secure your first client.
Max felt a burst of optimism. At least this was something he could do. He quickly input his available subjects, marking General Studies and Basic Math as areas of expertise. He set his hourly rate to $15—lower than the average, but he needed to attract clients quickly. He didn't want to price himself out of the market before he'd even started.
Once everything was set up, the system displayed a final message.
Business Set Up: Online Tutoring Service Created
First Client: Pending
Objective: Complete your first session.
Max sat back, staring at the screen. It didn't seem real. He had just opened a business. A real business. Well, it was a start at least. A small one. But it was his.
His phone buzzed again, and a new notification popped up.
Quest Available: Secure your first tutoring client. Reward: 10 Coins.
Max tapped the notification, and another quest appeared, outlining the task in simple terms. He needed to secure his first client, but he didn't know how. He didn't have a network, and he couldn't exactly advertise on the campus bulletin board. He thought for a moment and then sent a message to Amy, the cafeteria worker who had offered him food earlier. She was friendly, and maybe she knew someone who needed tutoring. He didn't want to bother her, but it was worth a shot.
Max: "Hey, Amy. I started an online tutoring service. If you know anyone who needs help with basic studies or math, let me know."
He hit send and then waited, hoping she would respond soon. It felt awkward, but he had no choice. He needed to get his first client, and Amy seemed like a good place to start.
The system displayed an update:
First Client: Pending.
Max leaned back against the couch, rubbing his face. It had been a long day, but for the first time in a long time, he felt like something had shifted. The system had given him a path—one that didn't rely on his miserable cafeteria job. If he could get a client, maybe this could turn into something real. Maybe this was the opportunity he'd been waiting for.