THE TURNING POINT
That night, Ethan sat in the darkness of his bedroom, his mind a whirlwind of emotions—anger, sadness, betrayal. Madison's words replayed in his head: "All you have is a dead-end job and… dreams."
Was she right? Was he doomed to spend his life stuck in mediocrity?
As the night dragged on, exhaustion finally took hold, and Ethan fell into a restless sleep.
When he opened his eyes, he wasn't in his room anymore. He stood in an endless expanse of white, the silence so complete it felt deafening.
"Welcome, Ethan Blake," a calm, robotic voice said.
Ethan turned, startled, to see a glowing blue screen hovering in midair.
"Who's there?" he asked, his voice echoing in the void.
"I am the Success System," the voice replied. "I have been assigned to assist you in achieving wealth, power, and influence."
Ethan blinked. "What… is this? Some kind of dream?"
"This is no dream," the voice assured him. "You have been selected as the recipient of this system due to your extraordinary potential. If you accept my guidance, I will help you transform your life."
Ethan stared at the screen, disbelief warring with curiosity. "And what's the catch?"
"There is no catch," the system replied. "However, your success depends entirely on your willingness to act. Do you wish to proceed?
Ethan hesitated for only a moment. What did he have to lose? "Fine," he said. "I'll give it a shot."
"Excellent," the system said. "Initiating Phase One: Skill Acquisition."
The screen flashed, and suddenly, Ethan felt a rush of information flood his mind. His vision blurred as scenes of books, tutorials, and lectures played out at lightning speed.
When it was over, he gasped for air, clutching his head. "What… just happened?"
"You have now acquired advanced knowledge in programming, financial analysis, and entrepreneurship," the system explained. "These are your foundational skills for success. Your first task is to apply them. Opportunities will be presented shortly."