The next morning arrived with the scent of rain and coffee.
Riku sat on the apartment's tiny balcony with a notebook in one hand and a half-eaten piece of toast in the other. Despite the peaceful drizzle and the low hum of the city, his mind was racing.
The system had given him a taste of something bigger. Not just money, not just skills—but power. Influence. Direction.
> Active Side Quest:
Unravel the Chain
Investigate the crime network tied to Makabe.
Reward: +500 SP, Criminal Intel Access, Kira Affection +3
He hadn't forgotten the way Kira's face tensed when she mentioned Makabe's name. Whoever he was working for, they weren't small-time.
Riku flipped through the system shop again. His remaining balance was over 11,000 SP, and with it, came options. The kind most people only dreamed of.
> [Skills]
Observation Enhancement Lv.1 – 800 SP
Intimidation Lv.1 – 400 SP
Urban Stealth Lv.1 – 1,200 SP
[Knowledge]
Criminal Psychology Basics – 600 SP
Underworld Networks (Tokyo Prefecture) – 1,000 SP
He purchased Underworld Networks (Tokyo Prefecture) and Observation Enhancement Lv.1.
His head buzzed for a moment—like a hard drive receiving compressed data. Instantly, names, connections, and underground routes filled his mind. He now knew where deals happened, which clubs were "clean," and which alleyways served as unspoken turf lines.
And more importantly, he knew where to start looking.
---
Riku met up with Kira just before noon. She was leaning against the wall of a local arcade, arms crossed, expression guarded.
"You're late," she said.
"You're early," he shot back, tossing her a can of iced tea. "Ready for some legwork?"
She narrowed her eyes. "You sure you're not just dragging me along for company?"
"Company with knives in her boots? Definitely."
She cracked a smile.
> Affection +1 – Successful Interaction
They took a quiet route through the backstreets, eventually arriving at a place Riku knew from his newly acquired knowledge—Club Manifold, a jazz bar on the surface, but known in hushed circles as a hub for mercenaries, fixers, and information peddlers.
Kira squinted at the neon sign. "This place looks like it serves expensive lies."
"Good thing we came with a wallet full of truth."
> Location Detected: Semi-Neutral Zone – Combat discouraged but not restricted.
As they entered, the dim lighting and smooth saxophone music immediately set the tone. Patrons glanced up briefly before returning to their drinks and quiet conversations. A woman in a red suit approached them, her sharp eyes betraying more than casual interest.
"You're new," she said.
"Is that a problem?" Riku replied.
"Depends. What are you buying?"
> [System Dialogue Options Unlocked – Trait: Silver Tongue Lv.1]
[Direct Approach] "Information. About Makabe's boss."
[Casual] "Heard this place has good jazz… and better whispers."
[Confident Bluff] "We're here to settle a score. Thought you'd want a heads-up."
He selected the Casual option.
"Jazz is nice," Riku said, slipping into the rhythm of the room, "but we're hoping to catch a few whispers with our drinks."
The woman smirked. "You've got manners. Most kids just barge in swinging. Take a seat."
She led them to a corner booth and slid in across from them. "Name's Reina. I broker info. You got coin?"
Riku mentally accessed the System Trade Menu and offered 200 SP for a tip.
Reina's eyes flicked upward slightly—like something pinged in her vision too. She nodded.
"Makabe reports to a mid-tier enforcer named Jin Tagawa. Used to run street rackets but recently got backed by someone bigger. Guy's trying to unite a few smaller gangs in the area. Word is, he's got… support."
"Support?" Kira asked.
"Someone outside the traditional criminal grid. High-tech weapons. Strange behavior. Some people think it's corporate. Others say it's something new entirely."
> Quest Progress: 40% – Chain of Control Identified
New Location Unlocked: Warehouse 17 (Jin's Staging Ground)
Reina stood up. "If you're planning something reckless, bring backup. Jin's got people who don't blink at broken bones."
With that, she disappeared into the smoky atmosphere of the club.
---
As the rain picked up again, Riku and Kira ducked under a half-covered bus stop on their way back.
"You really planning to go after this Jin guy?" she asked.
"Eventually. First, I want to know what I'm up against."
Kira nodded. "Good. Just… don't get cocky, Wallet Boy. Power makes people sloppy."
He gave her a crooked grin. "Don't worry. I'm too broke to afford ego."
> System Notification:
Kira Hanazawa has responded positively to your trust and caution.
Bond Progress: 18% → 25%
Trait Progress: Unlockable (Future Trigger Required)
---
That night, as he sat at his desk, Riku opened a new tab in the system: Long-Term Objectives.
He tapped in a note:
> Goal: Build influence, dismantle Jin's chain, and uncover who or what is backing him.
Side Goal: Keep Kira safe.
Personal Goal: Stop living like a background character.
The system pinged softly.
> New Custom Quest Thread Created: "City Reboot"
Progress will now track automatically.
Riku leaned back, stretched, and stared out at the blinking skyline of Tokyo.
This world had always seemed like it belonged to other people—the talented, the rich, the chosen.
But not anymore.
Now, it was his turn to build something. With a wallet that never emptied and a will that wouldn't break, he'd go as far as the system—and his ambition—could take him.