City A, Present Day
Rain hammers Dawn Street, District B. Caleb Moore pedals through the storm, his delivery bag empty, his hoodie soaked.
Caleb (muttering): "Another night, another bust. Five bucks left, and Jamal's gonna skin me for rent."
Starlight Avenue's neon flickers, vendors shouting over the clatter of City A's slums.
Vendor (yelling): "Yo, kid! You buying or just drowning out here?"
Caleb (snapping): "Ain't got cash for your overpriced noodles, man. Keep shouting."
His phone buzzes—another canceled order. Caleb's stomach growls, his mind on his mother, dead from slaving in District A's penthouses.
Caleb (inner thought): "She believed in me. Said I'd make it. But City A? It chews up dreams and spits out ghosts like me."
The bike slows. An alley off Dawn Street glows faintly, unnatural, pulling him in.
Caleb (whispering): "What's that? Some junkie's stash?"
He dismounts, rain stinging his face. A black jade shard lies in the muck, runes pulsing like a heartbeat.
Caleb (muttering): "Looks expensive. Maybe I can pawn it… or it's a trap."
His fingers brush the shard. A jolt sears his hand, warmth flooding his veins.
Wealth System (booming in his mind): "Host: Caleb Moore! Wealth System activated! Own your life!"
Caleb (stumbling back): "What the hell? Who's talking? I'm losing it!"
A holographic screen flares, unseen by rats scurrying past.
Wealth System: "This system's purpose is to let the host experience a colorful life! Explore the world at your leisure, protected at all times!"
Caleb (shouting): "Protected? You see this city? District B's a warzone, and I'm broke!"
The screen displays: First Task: Sign-In at Your Residence. Reward: 100 WP + Starter Pack.
Caleb (inner thought): "Wealth Points? Sounds like a scam. But… what if it's real?"
The shard dissolves into his skin, leaving a glowing scar. He clutches his hand, heart racing.
Caleb (muttering): "This ain't normal. I'm nobody, just a delivery guy. Why me?"
Ironwood Avenue's tenements loom ahead, his apartment a cage. Whispers from Starlight Avenue's market echo—tales of Marcus Vane, a District A tycoon with unnatural wealth.
Street Hustler (calling): "Heard about Vane? Guy's got City A in his pocket. Moves like he knows your next step."
Caleb (inner thought): "Vane… sounds like trouble. If he's got a shard like this, I'm screwed."
The system chimes: Warning: Rival Shard-Bearers Detected. City A, City B, City C—hosts rise or fall.
Caleb (gritting teeth): "Rivals? Great. Like Vince 'The Hammer' wasn't enough."
Vince Russo, District B's loan shark, stalks these streets, his goons a constant threat.
Caleb (inner thought): "Vince smells blood. If he knows I've got something, he'll break me."
*The system's voice cuts through: "Caleb Moore, conquer City A's trials! Paint your legend across its towers!"
Caleb (scoffing): "Legend? I'm barely surviving. You better deliver, system, or I'm just another dead dreamer."
Rain falls harder. Caleb pedals toward Ironwood Avenue, the shard's warmth pulsing in his hand.
Wealth System: "The Wealth System is your shield, your sword. Complete tasks, crush foes, rise above District B's slums to District A's heights!"
Caleb (inner thought): "District A… Crystal Avenue's towers. Where the rich laugh and guys like me bleed. If this system's real, I'll make them choke on their smirks."
Whispers of other shard-bearers haunt him—some rule, some vanish. An ancient force, unseen, watches City A.
Caleb (muttering): "What's behind this? Some god? Some trap? I don't care. I'm done being nothing."
The alley's glow fades, but the shard's scar burns. Caleb's bike speeds up, Dawn Street blurring past.
Wealth System: "Host, your destiny awaits. Will you seize it or fall?"
Caleb (growling): "I'm no quitter. City A's gonna know my name."
Starlight Avenue's neon flickers, Ironwood Avenue's shadows close in. City A trembles, blind to the storm brewing.
To Be Continued