Chapter 2: Fading Doubts

Chapter 2 - 2: Fading DoubtsBy the time Richard got home, the lottery ticket was practically a sacred relic in his hands. He held it carefully, fanning it back and forth as if airing it out would keep it from crumpling. His heart was still racing from the excitement, his mind bouncing between doubt and blind optimism.

The blue panel hadn't disappeared.

It hovered faintly in the corner of his vision, its soft glow barely noticeable under the daylight. A part of him still wondered if he had just been hallucinating—but if the numbers were real...

"Ma, we're winning tonight," he declared, stepping onto the porch and waving the ticket like a trophy. "We're gonna check the results together."

Anita, still lounging on the plastic chair with her phone in hand, snorted.

"Are you finally losing it, Richard?" she said without looking up. "I don't even bet on Swertres, and now you're gambling on 6/49? How the hell are you so sure you're gonna win, huh?"

Richard opened his mouth—then froze.

He suddenly realized just how insane he must've sounded.

He had sprinted to the lottery station, completely convinced by the words of some floating blue hallucination. For all he knew, he had eaten some weird shrooms again, and this was just a lingering trip.

Still, the panel wouldn't disappear.

He took a deep breath. Whatever. It was just 25 pesos. A small price to pay for hope.



"Come on, Ma," he said, forcing a grin. "Just believe me this one time. If I lose, I'll even give you a massage before you sleep."

Anita raised an eyebrow, amused.

"Hah. You and your excuses," she muttered, though a small smile tugged at her lips. She stood up, stretching her arms. "Maybe you're just hungry. Come on, I've already set the table."

Anita leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, watching Richard with mild amusement. "And what exactly are you gonna do with all that money once you win?"

Richard paused, rolling the question in his head.

If he really won, he could fully utilize the system. He could start a business, build capital, grow his resources. Maybe he'd finally be able to pull their family out of this constant financial struggle.

Half for renovating the house.Half as capital for a business.

But for now, he couldn't tell his mother anything about the system. It was too insane, even for him.

He shrugged. "Maybe a business, Ma."

Anita let out a short chuckle. "A business?" She arched an eyebrow. "Do you even know how to run a business?"

Richard smirked. "I'll just watch a YouTube tutorial." He laughed, taking a sip of his coffee.

She shook her head, still smiling. "Idiot."

He leaned back against the cement wall. "And maybe... I'll renovate our house too."

His mother's smile faded slightly. She tapped her fingers against her mug, eyes momentarily distant. "No, Richard," she said after a moment. "If I were you, I'd build a new house instead—on our lot in Marawi."

Richard blinked. "We have a lot in Marawi?"

"When your grandfather died, he left me a decent-sized lot." Anita took a slow sip of her coffee. "It's hot as hell here in Laguna. Too many people, too much noise. There, we won't have to deal with gossiping and plastic neighbors."

She exhaled, gaze drifting towards the street. "If we moved there, I could continue reselling fish straight from the fishing boats. I still have a lot of contacts. Unlike here—" she gestured vaguely around them, "—where it's hard to make money."

Richard frowned. "But we've lived here for twenty-five years."

"I know," she murmured. "Ever since I married your father, we've been here. But if God wills that you win... we can finally leave."

Richard glanced at her, then at the lottery ticket tucked in his pocket.

If this insane system was real... then maybe, just maybe, his mother's wish wasn't impossible.

"Come on, let's eat before the rice gets cold," Anita said, picking up her spoon.

Richard nodded, finally setting aside his thoughts about the lottery and the system. For now, food came first.

As they ate, their conversation drifted—eventually settling on politics.

"Voting for that new president was a mistake," Anita muttered, scooping up a spoonful of rice.

Richard smirked. "You say that every election, Ma."

"This time, I mean it," she huffed. "Ever since we kicked out that president in the '80s, the government sold off everything to private companies. Look at the price of electricity now. Look at water. Back then, the government owned all that." She clicked her tongue. "Now? Everything's a business. The country went to shit."

Richard exhaled through his nose, half-listening as he picked at his food. He'd heard his mother rant about this a hundred times. Not that she was wrong.

By the time they finished eating, Anita was already dressed and ready to leave.

"I'm opening the shop at the wet market," she said, adjusting her purse strap. "I'll be back around five. I'll bring home some rice and fried chicken for dinner."

Richard, already leaning on the porch railing with a cigarette between his fingers, nodded lazily. "Alright."

Before heading out, Anita turned back. "Do you have any customers at the repair shop today?"

Richard shook his head. "No. Mr. Dado's out today."

Anita scoffed. "Hah. That's good anyway. Dado's too greedy when it comes to salaries. One-fifty pesos for a whole day's work? That's nothing." She waved a hand. "Anyway, I'm off. Be careful here."

Richard took a slow drag from his cigarette, watching as his mother disappeared down the street.

Now, he was alone.

Richard let out a deep sigh and settled onto the balcony, resting his elbows on his knees. The morning heat was starting to set in, the faint scent of cigarette smoke lingering in the air.

He flicked the ashes from his cigarette, then called out, "System?"

A familiar, emotionless voice responded.

[ Yes. ]

"Show me my stats again."

The blue holographic panel flickered to life in front of him.

[ Name: Richard Santamo

Age: 23

Weight: 133 lbs

Height: 5'11

SP: 90,000

[ SHOP ][ SKILLS ]

Stat Points: 10

Attributes:

STR: 8

CON: 12

AGI: 7

PER: 9

VIT: 10

INT: 10

Technology Learned: None

Skills: None

Richard rubbed his chin. "Hmmm..."

He needed to test this. If this system was real, then investing in his body and mind should have noticeable effects.

"Assign +2 to Strength, +2 to Agility, +3 to Constitution, and the rest to Intelligence."

The moment he confirmed the allocation, a strange tingling sensation coursed through his body—like a faint electrical charge running through his veins. It wasn't painful, just... odd.

He clenched and unclenched his fists. Did he feel any stronger? Maybe. But it was too subtle to tell.

Richard exhaled, still half-skeptical.

"Let's check the Skill Shop."

A new panel slid into place, revealing a list of available skills.

[ Skill Shop ]

Combat:

Ha Chido – A martial art developed by Araseika Corporation for their private military forces. Specializes in close-quarters combat. (10,000 SP)

Thieves' Dull Knife – A martial art created by Beggar King Su Yen, designed for feints and fast slashes. (1,000 SP)

Intelligence:

Information Processing – Enhances your ability to quickly analyze and process large amounts of data. (5,000 SP)

Knowledge Acquisition – Improves your capacity to absorb and retain information from books, scrolls, and other sources. (5,000 SP)

Dexterity:

Instinctive Typing – Grants the ability to type at unnatural speeds, as if second nature. (3,000 SP)

Sleight of Hand – Enhances manual dexterity, allowing for faster, more precise hand movements. (5,000 SP)

Perception:



Enhanced Auditory Perception – Your hearing is greatly heightened, allowing you to pick up subtle sounds and whispers with ease - 5,000

Visual Acuity – Your eyesight becomes exceptionally sharp, enabling you to track movement and perceive tiny details effortlessly - 5,000

Richard grinned.

"If I can be smarter... then let's make it happen."

He immediately purchased Information Processing and Knowledge Acquisition.

As soon as he did, a sharp pulse ran through his brain, like an unseen force reorganizing his thoughts. Suddenly, his mind felt clearer, sharper.

The words on the panel seemed easier to digest. Even the faint sounds of the neighborhood—motorcycles, distant conversations—felt less distracting.

Richard exhaled slowly.

"Shit... this is real."

His fingers itched to test it further.

And now, with 80,000 SP left, he had endless possibilities.

Richard let out a loud laugh, stretching his arms wide as he leaned back in his chair.


"Let's check the Shop then! I've got 80,000 SP left—I'll take the world!" He smirked. "World domination, baby!"

A holographic panel expanded before him.

[ SHOP ]

[ Filter: Type 4 | Price: High to Low ]

Temporal Singularity Engine (Type 4) – 100 Trillion SP

Universal Matter Transmuter (Type 4) – 75 Trillion SP

Reality Weaving Array (Type 4) – 50 Trillion SP

Quantum Cognition Uplink (Type 4) – 30 Trillion SP

Stellar Core Forge (Type 4) – 20 Trillion SP

Dimensional Displacement Drive (Type 4) – 10 Trillion SP

Adaptive Nanite Swarm (Type 4) – 5 Trillion SP

Energy Singularity Projector (Type 4) – 1 Trillion SP

Richard froze.

His grin vanished as his eyes widened.

"What the actual fuck?!"

He stared at the insane price tags, feeling like a beggar who just walked into a billionaire's private auction.

Slumping back into his chair, he groaned. "And here I thought I was rich..."

Disheartened, he muttered, "Filter... Type 1... sort by lowest price."

The list refreshed.

[ Type 1 - Low to High Price ]

Basic Personal Data Backup Unit – 10,000 SP

Personalized Scent Diffuser – 11,000 SP

Advanced Personal Tool Kit – 12,000 SP

Personalized Food Preservation Unit – 14,000 SP

Advanced Personal Lighting System – 16,000 SP

Personalized Ergonomic Support System – 18,000 SP

Compact Personal Security Scanner – 20,000 SP

Personalized Learning Software Suite – 25,000 SP

Advanced Personal First Aid Kit – 30,000 SP

Personalized Mood Enhancement Device – 40,000 SP

Automated Personal Plant Care System – 50,000 SP

Personalized Nutrient Synthesis Device – 80,000 SP

Richard rubbed his chin, skimming through the list.

Some of them were interesting, but one caught his attention.

"Advanced Personal Fabrication Unit – 450,000 SP."

A home fabrication unit that could create small tools, components, and personalized items.

He grinned.

"If I can get something like this... I could start a business. If it can make high-quality tools, I could even sell them online."

Then another idea hit him.

"Wait... water purification?"

His eyes scanned down the list until he found it:

"Advanced Water Purification System (Portable) – 350,000 SP."

"If this thing can purify seawater... then I could start a business in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia would pay a fortune for clean water."

His excitement grew.

This wasn't just about getting rich—he could revolutionize industries.

But...

He sighed.

"I don't have enough SP for any of these..."

But before he could decide, a new notification popped up.

[ How to Earn SP ]

There are two primary methods for gaining SP:

Humanity's Benefit: SP is generated when your technology positively impacts humanity. Daily Quests: The easiest way to earn SP consistently.

"Daily Quests?"

Another window appeared.

[ Daily Quest: Training ]

Push-ups: 0/100

Curl-ups: 0/100

Pull-ups: 0/100

3-kilometer run: 0/3

Rewards: +5 Stat Points

+1 Skill Point

+10,000 SP

Failure Penalty: -10,000 SP

Richard stared at the punishment.

"I-Is there supposed to be a penalty?!"



The system responded.

[ It is for your own benefit. ]

Richard groaned. "Ugh... so if I don't do it, I'll actually lose SP?"

[ Correct. ]

He scratched his head.

"Shit... am I seriously supposed to start running right now?"

A pause.

[ Depends. Can you afford to lose 10,000 SP? ]

Richard clenched his fists.

"Fine. Fine! I'll do it! I'll think about what to buy with my SP later."

He stood up, grumbling to himself.

This better be worth it.