The scratch card still trembled in Luke's grip as he shut the door to his little house. He leaned against it for a long moment, chest heaving, the blue glow of the system hovering faintly in the corner of his vision.
Survive the next 24 hours.
The words hadn't faded, and with each passing second, he felt the weight of them press heavier. Survive. As if the universe was plotting new ways to snuff him out.
He dropped onto the couch, the springs groaning in protest. His ribs still ached, but not nearly as bad as they should have. He glanced around the cramped room—the beat-up recliner in the corner, the cracked coffee table littered with half-read books and takeout containers, and on the far wall, taped posters of cars that seemed more dream than reality.
His eyes lingered on one in particular: a silver R35 GTR cutting across a wet racetrack, tires spitting mist like a dragon exhaling smoke. His idol, Paul Walker, had made the car iconic, but to Luke it was more than metal and speed. It was freedom, a promise that life could be bigger, faster, worth living.
He closed his eyes, exhaling. "One day," he muttered, the words half prayer, half vow.
The system pulsed.
[Hidden Task Generated]
> Declare a dream against impossible odds.
Reward: Pending.
His eyes snapped open. "You're kidding me." The thing was listening. Watching.
A nervous laugh bubbled up in his throat. "So what, you're gonna hand me a GTR if I… what, survive and play your game?" He shook his head, but the screen offered no reply.
---
Needing distraction, Luke reached for his old acoustic guitar propped in the corner. The strings were worn, the wood scuffed, but it still carried the warmth of every night he'd poured into it. He strummed softly, the melody of a half-finished country-punk ballad filling the silence.
He'd posted a few tracks online before, rough recordings in this very room. They'd gotten a handful of views, maybe a comment or two. Nothing that stuck. But when his voice carried through the chords now, it steadied him.
For a moment, he wasn't a dish washer with bruised ribs and debt collectors on his back. He was just Luke—blue-eyed kid with songs in his chest and dreams in his blood.
The system flickered again.
[Daily Task Available]
> Pursue your passion despite circumstance.
Reward: +5 LP
His fingers faltered on the strings. "You're… seriously gamifying my life, huh?" He huffed, half amused, half unsettled, and kept playing.
---
Later that night, the rain finally eased, leaving Midland quiet. Luke booted up his old laptop, the hum filling the tiny room as he logged into Runescape. The familiar medieval login screen was like an old friend.
His account was maxed—every stat capped, every skill mastered—but the comfort of the grind never faded. Cutting logs, slaying bosses, walking through cities he'd known for years… it reminded him that persistence mattered, even in a world of pixels.
Still, he couldn't help but mutter, "Maxed out in a game, but in real life? Still level one."
The system's response came sharp:
[Observation Noted]
> Luck System recognizes host's drive for mastery.
> Hidden Synergy: Gaming Persistence unlocked.
Luke blinked. Gaming persistence?
Effect: Increases success odds when repeating tasks.
A grin tugged at his lips despite himself. Maybe his years grinding Runescape hadn't been such a waste after all.
---
The clock ticked past midnight. Six hours left on the survival timer.
Luke shut the laptop and leaned back, staring at the ceiling. His mind drifted to another friend—Gordy Garris. They'd met back in college, shooting pool between classes. Gordy had a knack for music too, uploading songs to YouTube, never giving up on the dream. They'd gone to tournaments together, late-night drives filled with banter and half-serious plans about "making it big."
Luke chuckled softly. Gordy would call him insane if he knew about this system. But maybe, with this power, insanity was exactly what he needed.
---
The sound of glass shattering snapped him upright.
His blood ran cold. The window by the kitchen had cracked inward, jagged edges glittering in the dim light. A shadow shifted outside.
Luke's pulse spiked. Survive the next 24 hours.
The system pulsed urgently:
[Emergency Event Triggered]
> Host under threat.
Objective: Survive home invasion.
Reward: +20 LP
Penalty: Death.
Luke's hands clenched into fists. The scratch card win had been a miracle. But now, the dice were rolling again.
The jagged shards of the kitchen window glittered like teeth, the cold night air rushing in. Luke froze, his heartbeat thundering in his chest.
A man's silhouette slipped through the broken glass, boots crunching on tile. Broad shoulders, hood pulled low. The faint gleam of metal in his hand—a crowbar, slick with rain.
Luke's throat tightened. This can't be random. He lived in Midland for years; petty crime wasn't rare, but tonight? The very night the system warned him about surviving?
The intruder's voice was a low growl. "Easy job, easy cash. Just a kid living here."
Luke's body tensed. He had five Luck Points left, the scratch card miracle still burning in his memory. But this wasn't a lottery ticket. This was his life.
The system chimed in his vision.
[Emergency Options Available]
1. Favorable Flip (5 LP) – Tilt a single outcome in your favor.
2. Lucky Dodge (10 LP) – Insufficient Points.
3. Second Wind (10 LP) – Insufficient Points.
Only one option was within reach.
Luke swallowed hard, whispering so softly he could barely hear himself. "System… Favorable Flip. Activate."
> Confirm use: 5 LP?
[Y/N]
"Yes!"
The glow pulsed.
[Skill Activated: Favorable Flip]
Remaining LP: 0
The intruder stepped closer, crowbar raised. Luke's back pressed against the wall, nowhere to run. His mind screamed with panic—until his eyes darted to the coffee table.
A pool cue leaned against it. He and Gordy had hauled it here after a bar tournament, too stubborn to let it go.
Luke lunged. His fingers closed around the worn wood just as the intruder swung.
CLANG!
The crowbar slammed down—directly onto the cue, inches from Luke's face. By sheer impossibility, the wood didn't splinter. It held, the impact bouncing off, throwing the intruder off-balance.
Luke swung wildly, adrenaline and fear guiding his arm. The cue cracked against the man's shoulder, sending him staggering back into the counter with a curse.
The system pulsed:
[Probability Tilt Successful]
> Outcome shifted: Weapon survived impact.
Luke's chest heaved. He wasn't a fighter, not really—but tonight, luck had chosen his side.
---
The intruder snarled, recovering fast. "You little—!" He charged, crowbar raised again.
Luke gripped the pool cue like a lifeline. His ribs screamed as he twisted, barely dodging the next swing. The crowbar smashed into the drywall, plaster raining down.
Something primal snapped inside him. He jabbed forward, cue striking the man in the gut. The intruder wheezed, doubling over.
But Luke wasn't free yet. The man grabbed his wrist, yanking him forward. Their faces were inches apart, breath reeking of alcohol. The crowbar lifted again.
Luke's mind screamed. No LP left.
And then the system flickered—new text burning across his vision:
[Hidden Task Triggered]
> Defend yourself against armed threat.
Reward: +25 LP
Penalty: Fatality.
Luke's eyes widened. He only had one choice now: finish this fight, or die trying.
Luke's lungs burned, ribs throbbing with every breath. The intruder's grip tightened on his wrist, forcing the pool cue sideways. The crowbar gleamed under the kitchen light, poised to crash down.
Then the system blazed across his vision, words sharp as knives:
[Hidden Task Complete]
> Defend yourself against armed threat.
Reward: +25 LP.
Current LP: 25
A surge of energy shot through him, as though fate itself had tossed him a lifeline.
New options lit up:
Available Skills:
- Lucky Dodge (10 LP)
- Second Wind (10 LP)
- Favorable Flip (5 LP)
Luke's mind raced. The crowbar arced downward.
"Lucky Dodge!" he shouted instinctively.
> Skill Activated: Lucky Dodge
Remaining LP: 15
The world tilted.
The intruder's crowbar should have connected with Luke's temple, ending it right there. Instead, his body shifted by a hair's breadth, an impossible slip. The crowbar slammed into the counter instead, splintering wood.
Luke twisted free, shoving with all his strength. The pool cue jabbed upward, striking the man's jaw with a crack. The intruder reeled, teeth clattering as he cursed.
---
Luke staggered back, chest heaving, cue raised like a spear. For the first time, he felt something hot in his veins—not just adrenaline, but odds bending around him.
The intruder spat blood, eyes flashing with rage. "You little punk! I'll kill you!"
He lunged again. Luke's ribs screamed with each movement, his legs shaky. Desperation clawed at him.
"Second Wind!" Luke yelled.
> Skill Activated: Second Wind
Remaining LP: 5
Warmth flooded his muscles, his breath steadied. The agony in his chest dulled, strength surging back like he'd just taken a full night's rest.
The intruder swung wild, crowbar slicing through the air. But this time Luke met him head-on. He sidestepped with impossible timing, the pool cue whipping around in a blur.
CRACK!
The cue struck the man's temple. He crumpled like a sack of bricks, the crowbar clattering across tile.
---
Silence.
Luke stood there, chest heaving, rain dripping through the broken window. His knuckles were white around the pool cue, his body trembling from head to toe.
The intruder groaned once and went still.
The system chimed softly, almost smug:
[Emergency Event Cleared]
> Reward: +20 LP.
Current LP: 25
Luke slumped against the counter, pool cue clattering from his hands. He stared at the unconscious man sprawled on his kitchen floor, then at the glowing text still hovering in his vision.
He'd survived. By all logic, by every probability in the world, he should've been dead—crushed in the street, or bludgeoned by a crowbar. But he wasn't.
He was alive. Because of this system.
---
The distant wail of sirens cut through the silence, growing louder. Lights flashed faintly against the rain-slick street outside. Neighbors must've heard the crash, the shouting.
Luke sank into the couch, chest rising and falling like he'd just run a marathon. His gaze drifted to the glowing panel one more time.
[Survival Task Progress: 3 Hours Remaining]
His gut twisted. The night wasn't over.
And fate wasn't finished testing him.