The rain poured in thick sheets, drowning the city in cold and static. Neon signs flickered against puddles while car horns blared in the distance. Aiden Cross stood still under the dim awning of Midnight 8, watching his world collapse through glass doors.
Inside, bathed in red and blue lights, was Mia—his girlfriend of three years. Her laugh cut through the music as she leaned into Garrett, his boss, like he was her entire world. Aiden's hands twitched at his sides.
He stormed in, his soaked sneakers squeaking on the polished floor.
"Mia!" he shouted, cutting through the crowd.
She turned, lips still glossy from the wine she'd just sipped. Her expression went from amused to bored in two seconds flat.
"Aiden?" she said, annoyed. "Why are you here?"
Garrett raised his drink lazily. "Hey, buddy. Good to see you."
"What is this?" Aiden asked, his voice tight. "You said you were working late."
"I was," Mia said, then smirked. "With Garrett."
Garrett didn't even flinch. "She's got needs, man. You don't exactly scream 'provider.'"
Aiden clenched his fists. "We've been together for three years."
"And I gave you three years," Mia replied, folding her arms. "Three years of ramen dinners, broken promises, and you 'chasing your dreams.' I'm done playing poor with you, Aiden."
"You said you believed in me."
She laughed without warmth. "I believed in growing up. You're just... stuck."
With that, she slipped her arm into Garrett's and kissed him on the cheek before walking off, heels clicking like a gavel slamming down.
Aiden stood in the center of the club, drenched, alone, humiliated. Nobody even looked twice.
---
Outside, the cold hit harder. Aiden wandered the nearby alley and slumped against a brick wall, letting the rain soak him fully. His phone buzzed weakly in his pocket. He checked it:
Bank Balance: $6.23
Rent Due: 2 Days
Missed Calls: 0
He laughed bitterly. "No girl, no job, no future."
He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. "God, devil, universe—whatever's out there. If you're listening, give me something. Anything."
DING.
The sound echoed not through the air, but directly inside his skull.
> [SYSTEM ACTIVATING…]
Host Detected: Aiden Cross
Sync Rate: 99%
Status Ascension Protocol Initiated
His eyes flew open as a glowing screen appeared in front of him, floating in midair.
---
[SEX & STATUS SYSTEM PANEL]
Name: Aiden Cross
Age: 25
Level: 1
Attribute Value
Charm 5
Intelligence 6
Confidence 3
Strength 4
Luck 2
Skills:
• Passive: Basic Appeal (Lv.1)
• Locked: Flirtation, Persuasion, Bedroom Control
System Credits: 0
Title: None
---
> Do you accept the contract?
[Y]es / [N]o
Aiden blinked. "Is this... real?"
The screen remained. Floating. Waiting. Pulsing with a strange, low hum.
He hesitated. Then, driven by desperation, he tapped the glowing [Y].
> Contract Accepted. Welcome, Conqueror.
Initializing first mission...
---
Quest Unlocked:
> "First Conquest"
Target: Any woman
Goal: Have sex and make her partially submit
Time Limit: 7 Days
Reward:
• Stat Point +1 (Random)
• Unlock Skill: Flirtation Lv.1
• System Credit +10
Penalty for Failure: System Lock for 30 Days
> System Notice:
Quest "First Conquest" active. Countdown begins now: 6 Days, 23 Hours, 59 Minutes
---
Aiden stood up, heart racing.
A door creaked open nearby. His landlady, Naomi Lee, stepped out onto the apartment porch holding a black umbrella. She wore a red satin robe, a nightgown barely visible underneath. Her black hair was tied up neatly, and her expression was one of sleepy irritation.
She spotted him and raised a brow. "You're just sitting out here in the rain like a lost puppy?"
"Something like that," Aiden said, quickly composing himself.
Her eyes ran over him. Slowly. "Tch. What a waste of a pretty face."
She turned and walked back inside.
---
SYSTEM UPDATE
Target Detected: Naomi Lee
• Interest Level: 18% → 22%
• Compatibility: Medium
• Special Note: MILF Tag Detected
Aiden stared at the notification.
This was real.
He looked up toward the dark sky, rain washing over him like a reset.
"Alright," he muttered. "Let's play."