Chapter 12: New Skill
Nolan stared at the system screen.
A small smile crossed his face. 'Guess rejecting money also gives me a reward, huh?'
Then the screen changed.
[New Skill Unlocked: Danger Sense Lv.1]
Nolan's smile faded.
'Danger Sense?'
He read it again. Danger Sense. Not something useful like Appraiser. Not something profitable like a spending reward. Danger.
He looked around the street. People walked past with coffee cups. Cars moved slowly through the afternoon traffic. A woman pushed a stroller. An old man fed pigeons on a bench.
'What danger? What danger could possibly exist in a peaceful city like this?'
As if hearing his thoughts, the system flashed again.
[Notice: The world is not as peaceful as you believe.]
Nolan's heart tightened.
He stared at the words. 'Not as peaceful as you believe.' What did that mean? Was something out there? Something he didn't know about?
He thought, 'What do you mean not peaceful?'
The system responded immediately.
[You will know when it's the time.]
A chill ran down Nolan's spine.
'So... there will be more. More than just money and buildings. More than just college drama. Something else.'
He sat on his bike for a long moment, the engine silent, the world moving around him.
'Danger Sense. The system gave me a skill to sense danger. That means there is danger to sense.'
His stomach growled loudly, pulling him from his thoughts.
He blinked. Right. Food. He hadn't eaten properly since yesterday.
He looked at his balance.
[Current Balance: $4,500]
Four thousand five hundred dollars. A thought crossed his mind—spend it all, get another reward, get more money. The pattern was clear. Spend money, get rewards. Spend more, get more.
But he shook his head.
'No. Rushing is how you make mistakes. The system has its own timing. I'll follow it slowly. No rush.'
He started the bike and looked for a simple place to eat. Nothing fancy. Just food.
He was riding down a side street when a familiar face caught his eye.
A guy. Lean build. Dark hair. Standing behind a small fast food stall, wiping the counter.
Nolan's heart jumped.
'Rayan.'
He pulled over quickly, parked the bike, and walked toward the stall. A grin spread across his face.
Rayan looked up. His face was different. Hollow. Tired. There were dark circles under his eyes. His clothes were wrinkled, like he'd been wearing them for days.
But when he saw Nolan, a small smile broke through.
"Nolan!" Rayan's voice was low, but there was warmth in it. "Man, it's been a while."
Nolan punched his arm lightly. The way he used to. The way they always greeted each other.
"Look at you, running your own shop now," Nolan said, looking around the small stall. It wasn't much. A few plastic tables and chairs. A simple menu board. But it was clean. Organized. Rayan's hard work was written all over it.
Rayan shrugged. "It's something. Keeps me busy."
Nolan studied his friend's face. Something was off. Rayan seemed... distant. Tired in a way that went deeper than just lack of sleep.
"You okay?" Nolan asked.
Rayan nodded quickly. Too quickly. "Yeah, yeah. Just busy, you know. Running this place takes time." He grabbed a menu and handed it to Nolan. "Here, eat. On the house. My treat."
Nolan looked at the menu. Simple stuff. Burgers. Fries. Sandwiches. Nothing expensive.
"I'll take a burger and fries," Nolan said. "But I'm paying."
Rayan shook his head. "No, man. I said it's on the—"
"I'm paying," Nolan repeated. His voice was firm but friendly.
Rayan sighed. "Fine. But I'm giving you extra fries."
He turned to the small kitchen area and started cooking. Nolan watched him move. Rayan's hands were steady, but his shoulders were tense. His eyes kept drifting toward the street, like he was watching for something.
Or someone.
Nolan wanted to ask. But he knew Rayan. If he pushed, Rayan would shut down completely. So he stayed quiet.
The food came. A good burger. Crispy fries. More than what Nolan had ordered. Way more.
Nolan ate hungrily. The food was simple but good. Real good. Better than anything he had eaten in the fancy restaurant yesterday.
Rayan stood behind the counter, wiping the same spot over and over.
Nolan finished his burger and wiped his mouth. He pulled out his wallet.
"How much?"
Rayan shook his head. "Nolan, come on—"
"How much?"
Rayan sighed. "Fifteen dollars."
Nolan pulled out a fifty-dollar bill and placed it on the counter.
Rayan's eyes widened. "Man, this is too much. I don't have change for—"
"Keep it," Nolan said. He stood up. "For the extra fries."
Rayan stared at the money. Then at Nolan. His hand trembled slightly as he picked up the bill.
"Nolan, I can't—"
"You can. And you will." Nolan smiled. "We're brothers. That's what brothers do."
Rayan's jaw tightened. His eyes looked wet for a moment. He nodded quickly, stuffing the money into his pocket.
"Thanks," he muttered.
Nolan nodded. He was about to leave when—
The screech of tires.
A black car pulled up sharply near the stall. Three men got out. Late twenties. Hard faces. Tattoos on their necks. The kind of men who didn't walk into a place unless they wanted something.
The one in front—bald, with a scar above his eyebrow—pointed at Rayan.
"There you are."
Rayan's face went pale. His hands gripped the counter.
The men walked toward the stall. The bald one stepped close to Rayan, his body blocking the entrance.
"Where's our money?"
Rayan swallowed. His voice was barely a whisper. "I need more time. Just a few more days. The shop is starting to make profit. I can pay you soon—"
"We've been waiting," the bald man cut him off. His voice was hard. Cold. "No more waiting."
"I can get it. I promise. Just give me—"
The bald man grabbed a plastic chair and threw it aside. It clattered against the ground.
"You think we're running a charity? You borrowed. You pay. That's how it works."
Rayan's hands were shaking. "Please. Just a few more days."
The bald man looked at the other two. They moved closer.
"Maybe we take the shop," the bald man said slowly. "Maybe we take everything you got. Sell it off. Cover the debt that way."
Rayan stepped back. His back hit the wall. "No, please. This is all I have. This shop is—"
A fist swung toward Rayan's face.
Nolan moved before he thought.
He stepped between them. His hand shot up and caught the fist inches from Rayan's face.
The bald man stared at him. Surprised.
"And who the hell are you?"
Nolan's grip was tight. His eyes were cold.
"How much?"
The man blinked. "What?"
"How much does he owe?"
The bald man pulled his hand back. He looked at Nolan, sizing him up. Old clothes. Cheap shoes. Nothing special.
"Five thousand," he lied. His eyes dared Nolan to challenge him.
Rayan spoke up. "Four thousand five hundred. That's what I borrowed. Four thousand five hundred."
The bald man shot him a glare. Then looked back at Nolan. "Four thousand five hundred. Same thing."
Nolan's blood went cold.
'Four thousand five hundred.'
His exact balance.
He looked at the men. At Rayan's terrified face. At the fallen chair on the ground.
'Is this a coincidence? Or did the system plan this?'
He had spent ten thousand five hundred on the bike. His remaining balance was exactly what Rayan needed. Exactly.
'The system interfered. It had to.'
He reached into his pocket.
"I'll pay."
Everyone froze.
Rayan grabbed his arm from behind. "Nolan, no. You can't. That's too much. I'll figure something out. Just go—"
"I'll pay," Nolan said again. His voice was calm. Steady.
He pulled out the black card.
The bald man's eyes narrowed. His attitude shifted. The hostility in his face was replaced by something else. Interest.
"You got the cash?"
Nolan looked at him. Cold. Steady. "There's an ATM across the street."
They walked together. The bald man and his two goons flanking Nolan. Rayan followed behind, his face pale, his hands still shaking.
Nolan inserted the card into the ATM. His fingers moved slowly. Deliberately.
The machine whirred. The cash came out.
Four thousand five hundred dollars.
He handed it to the bald man.
The man counted it. Slowly. Deliberately. Each bill was checked. Each bill was folded and placed into his pocket.
Then he nodded. A small, satisfied smile crossed his face.
"This covers it." He looked at Rayan. "You're lucky you have a rich friend."
He turned and walked away. The other two followed. The car doors slammed. The engine roared. The black car disappeared down the street.
Silence.
Rayan stood there, frozen. His eyes were wet. His whole body was shaking.
"Nolan... I don't... I can't..."
Nolan shook his head. "Don't. We're brothers. That's what brothers do."
Rayan's face crumpled. He grabbed Nolan and pulled him into a hug. Hard. Desperate. His shoulders shook.
"Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you."
Nolan patted his back. "It's okay. It's over."
He pulled back and looked at Rayan. Curious, he used his skill.
[Name: Rayan Cole]
[Favorability: 90]
'Ninety.' Nolan felt warmth spread through his chest. 'At least he is genuine. At least some people are real.'
Rayan wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. He tried to smile. "I'll pay you back. Every dollar. I swear. The shop is doing better. I'll pay you back slowly. Just give me time."
Nolan nodded. "We'll talk about that later."
Rayan pulled out the fifty-dollar bill Nolan had given him earlier. He held it out. "Here. At least take this back. I can't—"
Nolan pushed his hand away. "No. Keep it. Buy more supplies for the shop."
Rayan hesitated. Then nodded slowly, stuffing the bill back into his pocket.
Just then, the system chimed.
[DING!]
[Current Balance: $0 ]
[Initializing system upgrade...]
[Estimated time: 3 hours]
Nolan read the message carefully.
A small sense of relief filled him. 'The system is upgrading.'
'Three hours. That means the upgrade will complete around 3 PM.'
He looked at his phone. 12:05 PM.
He thought for a moment. 'I can't do anything else right now. The system is upgrading anyway. And I haven't attended a single class since the lightning struck. If I keep skipping, people will start asking questions.'
He looked at Rayan. "I have to go. Class starts soon. But we're talking later. Properly."
Rayan nodded. "Yeah. Okay. And Nolan... thank you. Really. I won't forget this."
Nolan smiled. "I know you won't."
He got on his bike and rode toward campus.
He entered the classroom at 1:00 PM.
Heads turned. Whispers followed.
"There he is."
"Look who finally showed up."
"I thought he dropped out."
"After what Lila did, I wouldn't show my face either."
Nolan ignored them. He kept his eyes forward. His face was calm. He walked to his usual seat near the window in the middle row and sat down.
The whispers didn't stop. They never did. But Nolan didn't care anymore. Two days ago, they would have bothered him. Two days ago, he would have shrunk in his seat, wishing to disappear.
Not anymore.
He had bigger things to think about. A system upgrade. A new skill called Danger Sense. A building worth millions.
Let them whisper. Let them talk.
He was done being the weak Nolan.
The classroom door opened.
Laughter spilled in first. Loud. Followed by giggles.
Chad walked in, his arm around Lila's waist. Lila leaned into him, laughing at something he had just said. Her hair was perfect. Her smile was bright. She looked like she didn't have a care in the world.
They made their way down the aisle, past the rows of desks, past the staring eyes of their classmates.
Then Chad stopped.
His eyes landed on Nolan.
His smile widened. His eyebrows rose. He let out a low whistle.
"WOAH..."
The word echoed through the suddenly quiet classroom.
Chad's grin stretched from ear to ear.
"Look who's here..!"