The bathroom was Kaelen Thorne's only safest place where he finds lot of peace. In a house with two sisters, a room which is a little hot with kids and teen stuff, but it was the only place he could relax, or so he thought. He stared at his reflection in the mirror, water dripping from his dark hair onto his shoulders. It had been a long day at Veridian Academy, filled with boring lessons and the usual social challenges. All he wanted was a hot shower and a few minutes of quiet before the evening drama of family life began.
As he wiped a clear patch on the mirror with the back of his hand, something flashed in his reflection. It wasn't a trick of the light. A soft, golden glow pulsed in the air right in front of him. Kaelen blinked, shaking his head. Maybe the steam was getting to him. He wiped the mirror again, more forcefully this time. The glow remained, solidifying into a translucent panel of light that hovered silently in the air.
Words, sharp and clear, appeared on the panel, written in a font that seemed both ancient and futuristic.
Kaelen froze; his hand still pressed against the cool glass of the mirror. He looked around the small bathroom. The faded blue shower curtain was drawn, the tiles were cracked, and a damp towel lay crumpled on the floor. Everything was normal, ordinary. Everything except for the impossible golden screen floating in front of his face.
He reached out with a trembling hand, expecting it to pass through like a apparition. Instead, his fingers met a smooth, solid surface that felt like cool glass. It was real. He wasn't dreaming. He slowly pulled his hand back, his heart starting to pound in his chest. A system? Like in the web novels he secretly read late at night? It had to be a joke. A very elaborate, technologically advanced prank. But who would go to all this trouble?
He poked the [Shop] button. The screen shimmered, but a new message appeared: "[Shop Unlocked at System Level 5]." He tried [Income History]. It was just a blank, empty list. Finally, he tapped [Lottery]. The screen changed, showing a magnificent wheel covered in strange symbols. A single, large button at its center read "[Spin - 100 RP]."
Rage Points? The name sent a small shiver down his spine. It sounded… aggressive. He looked back at his total: 0 RP. Whatever this was, he couldn't use it yet. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts. He needed to understand what was happening. He focused on the words on the screen, willing them to give him more information. As if responding to his thoughts, a new line of text appeared below his RP balance.
[Earn Rage Points (RP) when sentient beings experience anger or frustration directed at you or your actions.]
Anger? Frustration? He had to make people mad to earn points? Kaelen's mind went into a state of confusion. He wasn't a troublemaker. In fact, he spent most of his time trying to avoid fight and issues. He was an average student, from an average family, living an average life. His defining lifestyle was his ability to blend into the background. This system seemed designed for a bully, a villain, not for someone like him.
Just then, a loud, impatient banging rattled the bathroom door.
"Kaelen! Are you building a city in there? You've been in there for twenty minutes! I need to get ready!"
It was the voice of his older sister, Zara. At fourteen, Zara was a force of nature. She was mischievous, loud, and had a natural talent for getting on his nerves, she was just a pain in his ass.
"I'll be out in a minute!" Kaelen called back, his eyes still fixed to the golden panel. He needed to hide it. He waved his hands at it, trying to push it away, but it remained fixed in the air.
"A minute? That's what you said ten minutes ago! If you make me late for my video call with Maya, I swear I will hide all your favorite snacks for a week!" Zara shouted through the door, her voice sharp with annoyance.
As her words hit him, a miraculous thing happened. A small, bright notification popped up on the bottom corner of the system panel.
[+50 RP gained from Zara Thorne's frustration!]
Kaelen's jaw dropped. He stared at the new number glowing on the screen.
Rage Points: 50 RP
It worked. It actually worked. Zara's very predictable, everyday annoyance had just given him fifty points. His heart, which had been pounding with fear, now started to beat with a different emotion: excitement. This wasn't just a prank. This was something else entirely. This was a power.
"Kaelen! I'm serious! Get out now!" Zara yelled, her fist thumping against the door again.
Another notification appeared, smaller this time.
[+15 RP gained from Zara Thorne's escalating anger!]
Rage Points: 65 RP
This was incredible. He could literally farm points from his sister's impatience. A mischievous grin spread across Kaelen's face. For the first time, he felt a sense of control in their daily squabbles. He could have stayed in there, letting the points trickle in, but his curiosity was too strong. He needed to experiment, to see if this was real and repeatable.
"Fine, I'm coming out!" he called out, trying to sound as if he was in a rush. He willed the system panel to disappear, and to his immense relief, it faded away as if it had never been there. He quickly splashed some water on his face, trying to wipe the look of utter shock and excitement from his features.
He unlocked the door and pulled it open. Zara stood there, one hand on her hip, her foot tapping impatiently on the wooden floor. She had their mother's fiery hair and a look on her face that could curdle milk.
"Finally," she hissed, pushing past him into the bathroom without another word.
Kaelen just stood there in the hallway, a goofy smile stuck on his face. As the bathroom door slammed shut, he could almost feel the lingering energy of her frustration. He brought his hand up and mentally pictured the panel. Instantly, it shimmered into existence before his eyes, visible only to him. 65 RP. It was still there.
He walked to his bedroom, his mind buzzing with possibilities. This system, this strange new ability, could change everything. His life wasn't exactly difficult, but it wasn't easy either. His family wasn't wealthy. They lived in a modest home, and his parents, Aris and Liana Thorne, worked hard to provide for them. Kaelen had no special talents. He wasn't particularly smart, strong, or popular. At Veridian Academy, he was just another face in the crowd.
But now… now he had a secret. A way to gain… something. The lottery promised treasures, abilities, and resources. What kind of treasures? Could he win something that would help him in his studies? Or something that could help his family? The thought sent a thrill through him.
He sat on the edge of his bed, bringing the panel up again. He needed 100 RP for a single spin. He was so close. He thought about the source of his first points. Zara. She was an easily accessible wellspring of frustration. But how could he earn more without getting into actual trouble?
His thoughts were interrupted by a much smaller voice calling his name. "Kaelen? Kaelen!"
His ten-year-old sister, Mira, appeared at his doorway, her big, innocent eyes looking up at him. She was the polar opposite of Zara, sweet, curious, but with a unique talent for being adorably annoying.
"What is it, Mira?" he asked, letting the system panel fade from view.
"Mom said to ask you what you want for dinner. She's deciding between spaghetti and chicken," Mira said, skipping into his room. Then she paused, a worried look on her face. "But Zara is really mad at you. She said you used all the hot water. Her face is all red."
Kaelen couldn't help but chuckle.
[+5 RP gained from Zara Thorne's residual anger!]
It even worked when he wasn't there! This was amazing. His balance was now 70 RP. He was so wrapped up in his discovery that he almost missed what Mira said next.
"Also," she said, her voice dropping to a low mutter, "I think I accidentally used your special blue pen to draw on my doll's face. It won't come off."
Kaelen felt a flash of irritation. That was his favorite pen, the one his dad had given him for his birthday. It wrote smoothly and never blurred. He took a deep breath, about to tell her off, but then he stopped. He remembered the system. He needed her to be frustrated, not him. But then a thought struck him. The system said it worked when people felt anger or frustration directed at you or your actions. His own frustration wouldn't earn him anything.
He decided to try something. He put on a fake smile. "Oh, that's okay, Mira. It was just a pen. Don't worry about it."
Mira's face, which had been braced for a scolding, immediately fell. A tiny frown line appeared between her eyebrows. "Oh. But… I thought you'd be mad. It was your favorite." She seemed genuinely confused and a little… disappointed. Her plan to confess and get it over with had been foiled.
Kaelen watched, holding his breath. And there it was. A tiny notification.
[+10 RP gained from Mira Thorne's confusion and mild frustration!]
It was a small amount, but it was proof. It worked. He could generate points in so many different ways. His mind started racing, connecting the dots. School was a goldmine. The bullies who picked on weaker students, the arrogant popular kids, the stressed-out teachers. Every single person was a potential source of Rage Points.
He had 80 RP now. Just 20 more and he could try his first lottery spin. The world, which had seemed so bland and predictable just an hour ago, was now a vast playground of opportunity. This "Ultimate Fortune System" was more than just a power; it was a new way of seeing everything. Every argument, every bit of drama, every moment of annoyance was no longer something to be avoided, but a resource to be collected.
Kaelen looked out his window at the setting sun, a genuine, confident smile on his face. His ordinary life was over. The game had just begun, and he was ready to play. He just needed to figure out how to get that last 20 RP without his family grounding him for the rest of his life. Perhaps, he thought with a grin, it was time to have a little chat with Zara about that hot water.