Ethan felt his grip tighten around Logan's wrist, watching the once-feared bully struggle against him. The shock in Logan's eyes was satisfying—almost intoxicating. For years, he had been the one on the ground, the one taking the punches, the one swallowing his pride just to survive.
Not anymore.
A soft chime echoed in his mind.
[Mission Complete: Establish Dominance]
[Reward Earned: +1 Strength, +1 Agility, First Skill Unlocked]
[Bonus Reward: 50 System Points]
Ethan barely had time to process the words before Logan let out a frustrated grunt, yanking his hand free and stumbling back. His face was red, his breathing uneven.
"This isn't over, Walker," Logan spat. His usual cocky tone was gone, replaced by something colder. "You think one lucky punch changes anything?"
Ethan smiled, stepping forward slightly, watching as Logan instinctively stepped back. That reaction alone told him everything.
"It already has," he said.
Logan clenched his jaw, but before he could retaliate, the first bell rang. The crowd around them started dispersing, students whispering to each other, casting glances between Ethan and Logan. Some looked amused. Others looked… curious.
Ethan had never been the center of attention before. It was new. Strange. And for once, not entirely unpleasant.
Logan shot him one last glare before storming off with Tyler and Chase trailing behind him. Ethan watched them leave, his fingers still tingling from the fight.
Another chime sounded in his head.
[New Feature Unlocked: System Store (Requires System Points)]
He blinked.
The store had been locked before. But now…
He pulled up the interface, watching as a new menu appeared.
[System Store]
[Current Balance: 50 SP]
[Available Items: Locked (Requires Level 5)]
So he still couldn't buy anything yet.
Ethan exhaled, letting the screen fade. He had a feeling the store would be important later, but for now, there were other things to focus on.
Like the fact that he had just beaten Logan in front of half the school.
And the fact that he might've said some really cringy shit while doing it.
That thought finally hit him as he made his way to class.
"Not so fun when you're the one on the ground, huh?"
He cringed.
Had he really said that? Out loud?
He barely even remembered thinking it, let alone speaking it. The whole fight had felt like a blur—like his body had moved on its own, his words coming out automatically.
God. He sounded like some wannabe anime villain.
Ethan groaned quietly as he slipped into his seat at the back of the classroom.
Maybe no one would remember.
Maybe.
As the teacher began the lesson, Ethan rested his chin on his hand, staring at the board but barely registering the words. His mind was still processing everything.
He had won.
Not just against Logan, but against everything that had held him down his entire life.
And it felt good.
A slow, satisfied smile crept onto his lips.
Ethan kept his head down as the teacher droned on about something he wasn't paying attention to. His mind was elsewhere—back in the hallway, back in the moment where everything had shifted.
He had fought Logan.
And won.
That alone should have been enough to make him feel victorious. But as he sat in class, the excitement from the fight was already fading.
Because now that the adrenaline had worn off, something else took its place—analysis.
He replayed the confrontation in his mind, breaking it down, second by second. The way he had moved, the way his body had reacted before his mind could even process it. He had dodged instinctively, countered precisely, and struck without hesitation.
That wasn't normal.
Ethan had never fought like that before. Hell, he had barely fought at all in his life. He had always been the one taking the hits, never throwing them.
But back there… it had felt natural.
Like his body had known exactly what to do.
He flexed his fingers under the desk. There was no soreness, no bruising. His muscles felt awake, his body humming with a quiet energy he had never noticed before.
The system had changed him.
And it wasn't just strength or speed.
It was something more.
A notification flickered at the edge of his vision.
[First Skill Unlocked]
[Skill: Intimidation (Passive)]
[Effect: Your presence exerts subtle pressure on weaker-willed individuals. Increases chances of making others hesitate, doubt, or fear confrontation.]
Ethan's eyes narrowed slightly.
So that's what happened in the hallway.
It wasn't just the fight that had shaken Logan—it was the way he had felt. The way Ethan had looked at him.
The system had been working the entire time.
Ethan leaned back slightly, processing the implications. If this was just his first skill, then what else was waiting for him?
Ethan stared at the glowing interface in front of him, barely hearing the teacher's voice in the background.
His heart still pounded from the confrontation earlier, but it wasn't from fear or anxiety. It was something else. A rush, a thrill, something deep and primal that he had never felt before.
Power.
For the first time in his life, he had control over something.
And it all came from the system.
He glanced at the menu again, focusing on the System Store.
[System Store]
[Current Balance: 50 SP]
[Available Items: Locked (Requires Level 5)]
Still locked. He couldn't access anything yet, which meant the store wasn't the first priority.
Instead, he opened the Upgrades menu.
[User Upgrades]
[Strength Boost (+1) – Cost: 10 SP]
[Agility Boost (+1) – Cost: 10 SP]
[Endurance Boost (+1) – Cost: 10 SP]
[Intelligence Boost (+1) – Cost: 15 SP]
[Skill Unlock – Cost: 100 SP]
His fingers hovered over the options. He could immediately boost his stats with the points he had. But before he spent anything, he noticed a new tab at the bottom of the screen.
[System Upgrades]
That was new.
Curious, he tapped on it. A new screen appeared.
[System Level: 1] (Current)
Basic Stats & Status Screen
Basic Missions (Daily & Optional)
Simple Attribute Upgrades (Strength, Agility, Endurance, Intelligence)
First Skill Unlock Available
System Store Locked
[Upgrade to System Level 2 – Cost: 200 SP]
[New Features Unlocked:]
System Store Access (Basic Tier Items)
Passive Skill Slot Unlocks
New Mission Types (Chain Missions & Hidden Quests)
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
The system itself could evolve.
He scrolled down, scanning through the future upgrades.
[System Level: 2]
Store Access (Basic Tier)
Passive Skill Slot Unlocked
Chain Missions Introduced
First Combat-Based Skills Available
[Upgrade to System Level 3 – Cost: 500 SP]
[New Features Unlocked:]
Store Expansion (More Powerful Items)
Skill Evolution (Upgrade Existing Skills)
Advanced Missions (Difficult but Higher Rewards)
[System Level: 3]
Skill Evolution Unlocked
Advanced Store Access
Title System Introduced (Special Passive Buffs)
New Combat & Manipulation-Based Skills Unlocked
[Upgrade to System Level 4 – Cost: 1,000 SP]
[New Features Unlocked:]
Store Tier 2 (High-Level Equipment & Items)
Dungeon System Unlocks (Special Training Arenas)
Unique Evolution Paths (Specialized Playstyles)
Ethan exhaled slowly.
This wasn't just about him getting stronger. The system itself was growing with him. And if he played it right, he could unlock a whole new level of power.
His mind raced through the possibilities.
The store meant equipment, items—things that could make him stronger beyond just stats.
Passive skills could change the way he interacted with people.
And the higher-level missions… they probably had insane rewards.
But everything cost SP.
He pulled up the mission list again, scanning his options.
[Daily Missions]
[Complete a full workout – Reward: 20 SP]
[Go an entire day without avoiding eye contact – Reward: 10 SP]
[Win a confrontation – Reward: 30 SP]
[Optional Missions]
[Humiliate a former tormentor – Reward: 50 SP]
[Defeat a stronger opponent – Reward: 100 SP]
[Break an opponent's will – Reward: ???]
His fingers tapped against the desk.
He had 50 SP right now. If he completed a few simple tasks today, he could get enough for a stat boost by tonight.
But if he wanted real power—he needed to take risks.
Defeating a stronger opponent? That was worth 100 SP. That alone would put him at 150—almost enough to upgrade the system itself.
And then there was the mystery mission.
Break an opponent's will.
There was no reward listed, which meant the system wasn't just looking for physical fights.
It wanted something deeper.
Something psychological.
Ethan tapped a finger against the desk, his mind already moving a step ahead.
Logan had lost today. But that didn't mean he was broken. If anything, he was probably more pissed off than ever.
Which meant… if Ethan wanted to earn the highest rewards possible, the best way forward wasn't just beating Logan again.
It was breaking him completely.
His lips curled into a slow slime.