The buzz of campus life returned the next morning—but everything had changed. Kael Virell walked through Elmridge University not as a victim, but as a hunter.
The bruises of his past were gone. His spirit was sharp. His mind, keener than ever. The system pulsed with subtle warmth inside him, whispering infinite potential.
And he was finally ready for the first act of retribution.
---
The Setup
Kael returned to the familiar bench near the student plaza—the one where he used to sit in silence, nursing wounds after being harassed by Darrin, Malik, and Zayne. The same bench where the world used to ignore him.
Not anymore.
He opened his system:
[System Level: 4]
[Credits Available: $9,200]
[Store: Expanded Access Granted]
He accessed the store and bought:
Truthweave Lens (Rare): Reveals people's weaknesses, fears, and emotional triggers.
Social Hacking Script: A passive aura that manipulates gossip and influence subtly in your favor.
Digital Wraith (1-Time Use): Exposes online secrets and anonymously leaks them with no trace.
Cost: $5,000 system credits.
Kael smiled coldly.
"Let's begin."
---
Exposing the Wolves
Kael activated the Truthweave Lens while sitting on the bench. From a distance, he spotted Malik Fenn laughing with his clique. The lens flickered:
[Malik Fenn – Weakness: Illegally hacked university servers to alter grades. Fear: Exposure and expulsion.]
Perfect.
Kael activated Digital Wraith, inputting Malik's student ID and tapping into his academic records. The script worked fast. A folder appeared:
[Corrupted Records - FENN_MALIK_321X]
He scheduled it to anonymously leak to the university's ethics board and student newspaper at exactly 6:00 p.m.
Next: Zayne.
[Zayne Riker – Weakness: Secretly paid girls to pretend to date him. Fear: Social humiliation.]
With the Social Hacking Script enabled, Kael whispered a few well-placed rumors around the girls Zayne had tried to impress. He didn't have to push hard—soon, whispers flew like wildfire. Screens lit up. Screenshots circulated.
By the time Kael returned to the main building, Zayne's smile had shattered.
And finally: Darrin.
The system paused longer for him.
[Darrin Coltz – Weakness: On probation for drug use, secretly recorded bullying incidents exist.]
Kael didn't hesitate. He uploaded footage he had secretly recorded with the system's Eye of Recall—a function that let him replay and export visual memories.
At 6:01 p.m., the campus erupted in chaos.
---
The Fall
By nightfall:
Malik was dragged into the Dean's office.
Zayne had locked his social media and disappeared from campus.
Darrin was suspended pending investigation.
Kael sat back, watching it unfold. Calm. Cold. Victorious.
[System Notification: +15 EXP, +$1,500 in Reputation Bounty, +2 System Levels]
[Level 4 → 6]
[New Unlock: Passive – Mind Sculptor: Enhanced cognitive analysis, allows you to read intentions in speech and facial patterns.]
Revenge wasn't loud. It didn't scream.
It smiled.
---
The Girl in the Shadows
Later that night, Kael stepped into the old botanical garden behind campus. The air shimmered strangely here. Silent. Sacred.
He wasn't alone.
From behind a silver-blossomed tree stepped Lyra Venhollow—again. But this time, her aura was different.
"You're ascending faster than expected," she said. "Your system... it isn't ordinary."
"You know about systems?" Kael asked.
She walked toward him. "I was born into the House of Chronel. We control time-based systems. Your presence... destabilizes threads we've observed."
Kael narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"
"To watch. For now." She leaned in, close enough to feel her breath. "And maybe... guide you, if you're worthy."
She vanished with a single blink, leaving only the scent of silver lilies in the air.
[System Alert: New Bond Forming – Hidden Event Triggered]
Kael felt something stir. Something deep.
---
Girls in Motion
The next day brought more surprises.
Alina Crestfall joined him for lunch—uninvited. She analyzed his startup plan with suspicious admiration. Her golden eyes flickered.
"You're building something... powerful," she said. "If you can keep up, I'll help you scale it into something world-shaking."
Kael welcomed her with measured charm.
And then came Rin Yurei, the violet-eyed mystery girl in the cloak, who approached him between classes.
"Are you the heir of Virell?" she asked softly.
"…Yes."
Rin smiled. "I come from a House that no longer exists. Yours destroyed mine centuries ago. And yet… I'm drawn to you."
Her fingers brushed his. For a second, the system pulsed violently.
[Warning: System Sync Detected – Unknown Bloodline Proximity]
Rin blinked, her gaze sharp. "You felt that, didn't you?"
Kael nodded slowly. "What are you?"
"I'm what's left of vengeance… and destiny. And maybe, if you're lucky, your salvation."
She walked away.
---
The Road Ahead
That night, Kael sat under the moonlight, reviewing his progress.
[System Level: 6]
[EXP to Level 7: 18/100]
[Businesses: 1 Active – Projected Revenue: $40,000+/week]
[Unlocked Skills: Charisma Surge, Fortune Bloom, Mind Sculptor]
[Passive Bond Events: 3]
He was no longer the forgotten orphan.
He was the spark in a city of dry leaves.
And soon, he would become a fire no one could extinguish.