"From Broke to Baller: Thanks, System?"

A soft rain tapped against the rusted metal roof that morning, the kind of drizzle that made you want to sleep in. But Jin was already up, sitting at the edge of his bed with his phone in hand, watching the system interface hover lightly over his screen.

[Daily Task: Improve Morning Routine]

— Stretch (5 mins)

— Meditate (5 mins)

— Exercise Reps (same count as yesterday)

[Bonus: Mental Clarity Buff | +$2.50]

"Meditate?" he chuckled. "You trying to turn me into a monk?"

[Just trust the process.]

Jin rolled his eyes but followed through. He lay on the floor and closed his eyes, letting the rain's rhythm replace the usual system chimes. For five minutes, he simply breathed—his mind drifting to thoughts of the future: college, his family, his cousin and aunt, the system.

When he finished, the system rewarded him with a faint warmth in his chest—an odd but calming effect.

[You've gained:

+2 Life Points

+Mental Clarity Buff (12 hours)

+$2.50]

That afternoon, while wiping down a chair in the small dining area, he overheard his mom telling his youngest sister, "Your Brother's been different lately. In a good way."

He smiled silently.

The next few days blended together. Jin built a rhythm—early mornings with the system, quiet afternoons helping at home, and evenings researching free online trading materials.

It was subtle, but he was changing.

He now had $22.00 in his System Wallet. Not much, but it felt like treasure.

Then one night, something unexpected happened.

He lay in bed, half-asleep, scrolling through one of his favorite manhwa series on a pirated comic site. It was one of those overpowered system stories again—main character poor, ignored, then boom—he gets a system and rises like a god.

Jin chuckled as he finished the chapter.

"Man… must be nice," he mumbled, eyes half-shut. "I wish I had something like that… a way to change everything... slowly, not like those MCs who get everything in a week. I just wanna... build something... quietly."

And then… the system's voice echoed gently:

[Request acknowledged.

Progress will reflect desire.

This journey will not be rushed, but it will be yours.]

Jin's eyes snapped open.

The interface lit up again—brighter this time, shifting into something smoother and more integrated with his vision. Not just on his phone anymore.

Then:

[Congratulations, Jin.

You have officially bonded with the Life-Building System.

Welcome to your long-term journey.]

His breath caught.

"...Wait...wasn't this a dream?"

No response. Just the soft sound of rain again outside.

Jin looked around—his siblings asleep, the house dark, nothing magical glowing. Just him… and the faint hum of a system now embedded in his daily life.

Not loud.

Not flashy.

Just there.

End of Chapter 5