The numbers on the screen seemed to blur for a second as Gray stared at his phone in disbelief.
+4.6%
+7.9%
+15.4%
It was still going without any signs of stopping.
"Holy shit..." Gray cursed out loud, gripping his phone like it might disappear if he looked a moment away from it.
Velmora Tech's stock was skyrocketing in real time, the green arrows climbing with each refresh. It had already broken through the resistance line he remembered seeing on the chart, and now it was shooting straight toward the sky like a rocket with no brakes.
"Damn, this is unbelievable."
His heart thumped out loud.
Gray quickly tapped into his portfolio, his thumb trembling ever so slightly.
The $7,000 he invested five days ago?
It was now $8,078
"That's... more than a grand up," Gray whispered, barely able to contain the growing grin on his face.
Gray wanted to punch the air in pure bliss.
Because what do you mean he just earned that much without doing anything?
"Damn man... this is the life. I tell you. This is life." Gray's hands flew to his hair as he leaned back on the couch. He stared at the ceiling in disbelief.
A wave of adrenaline surged through him.
Was this what real investors felt like?
That rush and excitement of seeing an investment pay off.
Except that he can't consider this a pure luck. It was thanks to Chloe's hint.
He couldn't help but laugh—half from relief and half from the absurdity of it all.
"Damn, Chloe," he mumbled, shaking his head. "You really weren't kidding."
Just as he thought of that, a soft chime echoed in his ears. He had gotten used to the sound of the system.
[Mission Cleared!]
[+1 Power Gained]
[+2,000 has been added to your wealth]
- - -
Name: Gray Adams
Age: 20
Status: Struggling (4%)
Wealth: $12,014.93 (+$8,928)
Power: 2
Influence: 4
Skills:
Basic Negotiation (Passive): Slightly improves chances of earning more through bargains.
Hard Labor (Active): Increases strength and endurance in physical work.
Giga Confidence (Passive): You are no longer easily shaken by insults, mockery, or pressure. Instead, you find them funny, as if it were just a big joke.
- - -
Gray blinked at the sudden system notification but his grin widened as he stared at the updated status screen.
However, he soon saw the number of his wealth. He tilted his head in confusion.
"Wait... what's with the ($+8,928) next to my wealth?" Gray mumbled, his eyes narrowing slightly.
As if on cue, the system responded with a calm tone.
[The value in parentheses reflects the money you currently have as liquidity or saved wealth. All your investments would go in there, host.]
[Since this is your first time investing, all of the money currently are from your investment in Velmora Tech stocks.]
"Ohhh..." Gray slowly nodded in understanding.
Gray glanced back at the stock app on his phone. Velmora was still climbing, now up to +17.1%.
[Would you like to pull out your investment now, Host?]
Gray stared at it for a moment, frowning as he thought of it.
It was tempting. That was an easy profit already. But wouldn't it be a waste if he'd just suddenly let it go? He was sure that the stocks would continue to rise, especially since it was the Lancaster's family we were talking about.
"No. Just Leave it." Gray tapped No without hesitation. "Let's see how high this thing can go." He was also curious about it.
[Alright, Host.]
[Investment remains active.]
[The System will continue to monitor progress.]
"Good..." Gray leaned back again on the backrest of the couch.
He was satisfied.
Very Satisfied.
But then the holographic screen in front of him didn't vanish. Instead, it flashed another prompt of words.
[New Mission Available!]
[ MISSION UNLOCKED – Basic Investor Path]
[Objective:]
- Make 5 investment (1/5)
- Accumulate $100,000 in wealth.
[Reward: +1 Influence | +1 Power | Golden Fingers (Passive) – A rare investor-type skill that passively enhances all future investments for the Host. Even with no special insight or timing, your investments will begin to perform better than average, consistently growing over time.]
"A new skill?"
[Yes, Host. As you progress, this skill will also evolve and strengthen. The Basic Investor has three tiers:]
[Tier 1:]
Basic Investor (On-Going)
Average Investor (Locked): Requires 10 separate investments and $500,000 in total profit. Unlocking this tier increases your returns and improves your ability to spot bigger opportunities.
Master Investor (Locked): Requires $1,000,000 in total investment profit. Grants high-return instincts, early trend recognition, and a near-legendary track record in all ventures.
[Would you like to accept this mission?]
[Yes] [No]
Gray stared at the floating text.
His heartbeat quickened again, not from the stock chart this time, but from the mission.
All future investments doing well?
He knew that it wasn't just some casual perk. It was power. Most importantly, it was financial power.
"...Shit. If I'm going to play this game, I might as well go all in." Gray exhaled deeply.
He grinned and pressed the button in front of him confidently.
"Yeah. I'll accept this."
[Bonus Mission: Basic Investor Path – Activated ✅]
[Progress: 1/5 Investments | $9,814 / $100,000]
[Good luck, Host.]
Gray leaned back on the couch with a look of smug determination. He sighed and nodded.
"Let's make some damn money."
=====
A/N: I just want to share that the novel has already been contracted!
I will be mass-releasing 3 Chapters by Sunday.
Thank you for all your support.