The university library was unusually packed. Final project deadlines were approaching, and students scrambled for seats, Wi-Fi access, and working sockets.
Leo walked in quietly, wearing his usual calm expression. He kept his look modest—same clean shirt and slacks from earlier in the week. Not too flashy, not too suspicious. Just "improved."
As he passed by the tables, something—or rather, someone—caught his attention.
In the far corner, a girl was hunched over an old laptop that whined with every attempt to boot up. She looked frustrated, pressing the power button again and again. Her fingers were ink-stained, and several books surrounded her, most of them on architecture and design.
Leo watched silently as she rested her head against her hand, muttering, "Please work… just one more week."
He recognized her. Aria De Vera. Top architecture student. Known for winning design contests. Always polite, always quiet. And always struggling.
Rumor had it her father used to be a respected engineer until a construction accident left him bedridden. Since then, Aria worked part-time jobs and survived on scholarships to stay in school.
Leo felt his phone buzz in his pocket.
[Target Detected]
Aria De Vera qualifies for Breakthrough Task.
Assist her career or education advancement.
Reward: "Insight" Skill Tier 1 + Enhanced Talent Radar (Passive)
He approached casually.
"Need help?"
Aria looked up, startled. "Uh… I'm fine. Just… my laptop's acting up again."
Leo pulled out a small portable charger. "Maybe it's low on power?"
"No," she said, brushing her hair back. "It's the system. It crashes randomly. It's old. But I have to finish a 3D render due tomorrow or I lose my finals slot."
"Yikes," Leo said, crouching slightly to peek at the screen. "Have you tried the school lab?"
She gave a tight smile. "All full. And their computers can't handle the software I use anyway. It's fine—I'll figure something out."
Leo nodded slowly. "Want to grab coffee later? I might have an idea."
Aria blinked, surprised. "Coffee?"
"I'm not trying to flirt," Leo added quickly. "I know a few tech people. Maybe I can help."
She looked at him for a moment, skeptical but curious.
"…Fine. Just coffee."
They sat in a quiet café off-campus thirty minutes later. Leo bought her a hot mocha and a pastry, which she accepted after a half-hearted protest.
"Why are you helping me?" she asked finally.
Leo shrugged. "Let's just say someone helped me once, and I'm paying it forward."
He pulled out a small tablet from his bag—thin, sleek, top-tier specs. It was one of the discreet items the system had delivered through his "Business Essentials" kit.
He slid it across the table.
"Here."
She looked down. "What is this?"
"Try it."
She powered it on. The startup speed stunned her.
"I already pre-installed your design software," Leo added casually. "And copied your files from your corrupted drive. I had IT recover them earlier."
"You… what?"
"I saw your name on the university server. Your files were exposed because your old laptop had a malware-infected connection. Took me a few minutes to fix."
Aria stared at the screen, mouth slightly open. The render she thought was lost appeared perfectly—color, scale, movement.
Her voice came out soft. "This… this would've taken me weeks to redo…"
"You now have everything backed up in the cloud," Leo said. "Encrypted. I also gave your resume a slight polish and added links to your awards and recognitions. I submitted it anonymously to an international design internship competition—something you qualified for but missed last month."
Her eyes widened.
"I didn't even know that was still open…"
Leo smiled. "It was. And your portfolio speaks for itself."
For a long moment, Aria was quiet.
Then, her voice cracked slightly. "Why are you really doing this?"
Leo leaned back. "Because people like you deserve a shot. Just like I do."
That night, Leo returned home feeling lighter.
He had received the notification hours earlier:
[Breakthrough Task Complete]
Reward Unlocked: Insight Tier 1
Passive Skill Activated: "Talent Radar" — You can now instinctively spot potential and hidden abilities in people you meet.
Future Recommendations will appear in your task list.
But it wasn't the reward that mattered—it was the way Aria had smiled when she saw her work restored. Real gratitude. Real impact.
He liked that feeling.
Helping people quietly. With purpose.
His phone buzzed again.
[NEW TASK AVAILABLE]
Task: Begin forming a private inner circle.
Criteria: 3 trustworthy individuals who are unaware of your wealth, but align with your vision.
Reward: Unlock "Network Mastery" Tier 1 — Ability to scale influence via small, loyal groups.
Leo's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
He already had Martin. And now maybe Aria.
One more.
And the foundation of something big would begin.
Meanwhile, across town, Belle sat in the backseat of Miggy's SUV, staring at Leo's latest social media update.
A simple picture of a coffee cup and tablet. Nothing fancy.
But in the reflection of the screen was Leo's reflection—calm, composed, and unfamiliar.
Different.
Miggy leaned over. "You still stalking your ex?"
Belle didn't answer. Her thoughts were spinning.
Leo was changing.
And she didn't like the feeling building in her chest.
Regret.