The three wheels spun faster, golden light filling Aiden's cramped dorm room. He should have been terrified, questioning his sanity, but instead, anticipation thrummed through his veins.
The first wheel slowed, clicking past symbols he couldn't quite read until it stopped with a crystalline chime.
REWARD 1: $50,000 (USD)Funds will be deposited into your bank account within 60 seconds. Source documentation automatically generated for legal compliance.
Fifty thousand dollars. Aiden's mouth went dry. That was more than his mother made in a year. More than he'd earn from both his jobs combined in two years.
The second wheel was already slowing.
REWARD 2: CHARISMA +10Your natural charm, presence, and social magnetism have been enhanced. People will find you more attractive, trustworthy, and compelling.
Warmth flooded through Aiden's body, not uncomfortable but strange, like something fundamental was shifting beneath his skin. He caught his reflection in the darkened window. Had his posture changed? He looked... different. More confident, even sitting on his worn bedspread.
The third wheel clicked to a stop.
REWARD 3: BASIC STOCK PREDICTION (30-DAY ACCURACY)You now possess intuitive knowledge of short-term market movements. This ability will improve with use and level advancement.
Information bloomed in Aiden's mind—stock symbols, percentages, trends he couldn't possibly know but somehow did. TechNova Industries would jump 340% in three weeks. He knew it with absolute certainty.
His phone buzzed. Banking app notification: Deposit of $50,000.00 received.
Aiden's hands shook as he opened the app. The number was real. The money was actually there. He refreshed three times. Still there.
TUTORIAL COMPLETE
Daily tasks and draws will unlock as you progress. Current objective: Use your rewards wisely. Build the foundation of your empire.
System tip: The best revenge is massive success.
The screen faded but didn't disappear entirely. A small icon now floated at the edge of his vision, transparent enough to ignore but there whenever he focused on it.
Aiden stood on unsteady legs and walked to the mirror hanging on his closet door. Same face, same brown eyes, same dark hair that needed cutting. But something had changed. The way he held himself. The clarity in his expression.
He pulled out his phone and opened his investment app—opened two months ago with optimistic naivety and only $200 to his name. His finger hovered over TechNova Industries.
This was crazy. Insane. Impossible.
He invested all $50,000.