Aiden sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the notification that hadn't disappeared yet.
[New Quest Available.]
Five thousand pounds from nowhere had just dropped into his account like it was nothing.
His hands were still shaking. "System," he said quietly. "Explain."
The system replied.
[The Hidden Quest System got unlocked.]
[Whenever you complete acts that increases your fame you get rewarded.]
[Reward scaling based is on your actions public impact, difficulty, divine alignment.]
[Current status: Active.]
Aiden frowned. "Hidden quests? You never mentioned those before."
[Well you never asked and you just fulfilled the conditions to unlock it.]
"What ?"
[Heroic action performed in public view without seeking recognition or reward.]
[Action aligned with Nabu's domain: Protection of stories, preservation of knowledge, defense of the powerless.]
[Minimum viewer threshold: 1 million.]
Aiden leaned back against the wall. The dungeon break, saving the baby and fighting the orcs while everyone filmed had garnered six million views and climbing.
"So... if I keep doing things like that, I get paid?"
[Correct.]
[Additional benefit includes Increased public awareness, elevates Nabu's influence.]
[Divine power grows with mortal recognition.]
[Your success is symbiotic with your patron's success.]
"Right." Aiden rubbed his face. "So I'm not just a writer anymore. I'm a... what, a marketing campaign?"
[ Idiot! You are a contractor now.]
[All divine contracts function this way.]
[Power is exchanged for influence.]
Aiden thought about that. Marcus and his group had mentioned their guild contracts before. Monthly pay, dungeon access, benefits. But they answered to guild leadership, followed orders and split profits.
This was different. There was no boss, no team. It was just him, the system, and a god who wanted more believers.
"How many hidden quests are there?" he asked.
[Even I don't know.]
[They generate dynamically based on opportunity and alignment.]
[Public recognition strengthens divine connection.]
Aiden snorted. "You want me to become famous."
[I want you to survive. If you get famous along the way, it's not bad.]
That was fair. He couldn't argue with that.
Still, something bothered him. The way the system was talking now felt... different. Less robotic. More like an actual conversation, it had even called him an idiot.
"Why do you sound different?" Aiden asked.
[Excuse me.]
"Before, you were all clinical. Short sentences, and no personality." He gestured vaguely at the air. "Now you're... I don't know. More human."
The notification paused. For a moment, nothing appeared. Then—
[How do I explain this to your simple mind.]
[Divine systems adapt to user compatibility.]
[Initial contact prioritizes clarity and function.]
[Extended use allows personality integration.]
[Current communication style is Optimized for your psychological profile.]
Aiden blinked. "You're saying you learned how to talk to me and that includes calling me a simpleton?"
[Correct.]
[You respond better to criticism better than formal command structure.]
[Adjustment improves cooperation and reduces resistance.]
"That's..." Aiden trailed off. "That's actually kind of creepy."
[What's creepy is your search history, you pervert.]
"What do you mean by that?"Aiden asked with wide eyes.
[What? I didn't say anything.]
Aiden shook his head and looked back at his phone. The video was still climbing and was at 2 million views now. Comments flooding in faster than he could read them.
His life had changed in two days.
Two days ago, he was broke, desperate, and about to be homeless. Now he had money. Power. A viral video. And apparently, a system that was learning how to be sarcastic.
His phone buzzed again. Another notification, this one wasn't from the system.
It was a news alert.
**TITAN GUILD OFFERS REWARD FOR INFORMATION ON MYSTERY HERO**
Aiden's stomach dropped as he opened the article.
---
*London, UK — Titan Guild, one of the top-ranked hunter organizations in Europe, has issued a public statement offering a substantial reward for any information leading to the identification of the individual who single-handedly stopped the Westfield dungeon break two days ago.*
*"We believe this person is an unregistered hunter of significant ability," said Guild Master Helena Cross in a press conference earlier today. "We'd like to extend an offer of partnership and discuss potential guild membership."*
*The reward is reported to be £50,000 for verified information.*
*The mystery hunter, whose face was obscured in viral footage, displayed advanced movement techniques and combat abilities far exceeding standard C-rank capabilities. Speculation has ranged from rogue contractor to foreign operative.*
*"Whoever this person is, they saved lives," Cross continued. "We simply want to talk."*
*The Hunter Regulation Bureau has also expressed interest in identifying the individual for registration purposes, though no formal investigation has been announced.*
---
Aiden read it twice, then a third time.
Fifty thousand pounds.
Titan Guild was serious.
He set the phone down carefully and stared at the ceiling, his mind racing.
If he came forward, he'd get money. Recognition. Probably guild membership, training, and resources. Everything a normal hunter would want.
But he wasn't a normal hunter.
He didn't have mana. He didn't awaken a core. His power came from a divine contract with a god nobody worshipped anymore, channeled through living out stories he wrote himself.
How would he explain that?
"I jump into my own books and bring back cultivation techniques" sounded insane. Even in a world with dungeons and monsters, that was a stretch.
And if people found out? If guilds found out?
They'd want to study him. Test him. Figure out how it worked. Maybe try to replicate it. Or worse, try to control it.
Nabu's words echoed in his mind from that first night.
*"I don't want you because of what you are. I want you because of what you create."*
His power wasn't like other contractors. It didn't come from worship or prayer or divine favor. It came from stories. From imagination. From writing worlds into existence and then living through them.
That made him valuable. And valuable things got taken apart.
"System," he said quietly. "What happens if someone finds out how my power works?"
[What do you think?]
[While it'd make Nabu's influence increase he'll probably have to find another contractor.]
"So keep it secret."
[Affirmative.]
Aiden nodded slowly. That made sense. The video showed his abilities, but not the source. Let people think he was a rogue hunter or an unregistered contractor. Let them speculate.
As long as they didn't know about the books, he'd be fine.
He opened his banking app again and looked at the balance.
£5,050.47
Enough for rent, for food, and to breathe for a while.
But not enough to stop.
He pulled up his bills next. Rent was first—£1,300, now paid. Gas and electric, another £150. Internet, £40. Phone, £25. Groceries... he'd need at least £200 to stock up properly.
That left him with about £3,300.
Not bad. Not great. But livable.
For now.
He closed the app and took a deep breath to calm himself, as he looked forward to all he can gain from his current.
And beyond that... more stories. More worlds. More danger.
And more growth.
Aiden stood up slowly, testing his ribs. They still ached, but the pain was fading faster than it should. Another day and he'd be fine.
He walked over to his laptop and opened it. The document was still there, right where he'd left it.
**Return of the Heavenly Sword God**
His first completed story. The one that had almost killed him. The one that had changed everything.
But there were others that were unpublished. Unfinished and waiting.
He scrolled through his files.
**A Fractured Reality** — Supernatural Thriller
**The Lazy Son of Duke Gilmore** — High Fantasy
Both locked behind Genre Unlock payments he couldn't afford yet. £10,000 and £70,000 respectively.
He'd need to save. Or complete more hidden quests. Or both.
But first...
He looked at the notification still hovering in his mind.
[Would you like to re-enter: Return of the Heavenly Sword God?]
[Cost: £500 (Return Ticket)]
[Current Balance: £3,335.47]
Aiden's finger hovered over the mental button.
Long Chen's story wasn't finished. He'd claimed the inheritance, survived the dragon, and returned to the Dugu Clan. But there was more revenge to take, a bloodline to awaken fully, and a sealed sword waiting to be freed.
And more importantly... more power to gain.
If he wanted to survive in this world—if he wanted to keep helping people, keep earning rewards, keep growing stronger—he needed to go back.
The video might have made him famous. But fame without strength was just a target.
He took a breath, then pressed yes.
[Purchase confirmed]
[Return Ticket activated]
[Prepare for narrative re-entry]
[Transportation in 10 seconds]
Aiden grabbed the sealed sword and strapped it to his back. He pocketed his phone, pulled on his jacket, and stood in the center of his flat.
The countdown began.
[10... 9... 8...]
His heart pounded, but this time it wasn't from fear.
[7... 6... 5...]
He knew what was waiting. Danger. Pain. Struggle.
[4... 3... 2...]
But also growth. Power. Purpose.
[1...]
Light swallowed the room.
And Aiden disappeared.