They lay side by side for a few moments, their bodies glistening with sweat, their breaths slowly returning to normal. Nola looked at him with glazed eyes, full of admiration and complete surrender.
"No one... no one has ever treated me like that," she whispered, her hand gently caressing Nathan's cheek.
Nathan looked back at her, and thanks to the system, his eyes radiated a seemingly genuine tenderness, even though in his heart there was only satisfaction at a mission accomplished. "That's because no one deserves you, Nola. Only me."
[Ding!] The system's voice echoed in his head, as if giving an applause. [Host task completed perfectly. Reward of 500,000,000 Rupiah has been transferred. Current balance: 800,000,000 Rupiah.]
Another, more materialistic satisfaction flowed through Nathan. He almost smiled, but restrained himself.
[Analyzing environmental situation...] the system continued. [Detecting physical threat. Rival target (Boy) showing significant increase in heart rate and adrenaline. Scanning environment...]
Nathan remained calm, continuing to stroke Nola's damp hair, pretending nothing was amiss.
[Scan complete. Rival target has retrieved old iron pipe leaning near trash cans. Movements indicate intent for physical confrontation. Estimate: 95% probability of host being attacked upon exiting apartment.]
Nathan raised an eyebrow. So the pampered playboy had finally found his nerve? With an iron pipe?
[As a bonus for completing the mission with a high level of target satisfaction, host is awarded Level 1 Martial Arts System. Downloading knowledge: Basic Krav Maga, street fighting, self-defense reflexes. Enhancements: Reaction speed +20%, Punch power +15%.]
A flood of new information washed over Nathan's mind. It wasn't just theory; it was muscle memory, instantly ingrained fighting instincts. His hand stroking Nola suddenly knew the best way to parry an attack, how to twist a wrist to break a grip, the vital points on the human body. It was an incredibly empowering feeling.
"What's wrong?" Nola murmured, sensing the slight tension in Nathan's body.
"Nothing, darling," Nathan whispered, kissing her forehead. "I'm just thinking about how lucky I am." The lie came easily.
He slowly got out of bed and began to put on his clothes. Every movement now felt different. Lighter, more alert, more prepared. He could feel Boy's presence outside, like a radar emitting anger and fear.
"I have to go," he said to Nola, who looked at him with a disappointed face.
"Already? Stay longer," she pleaded.
"I can't. Business," Nathan replied, using the same excuse Boy had used. The irony tasted sweet. "But I'll be back. I promise."
He was fully dressed, feeling the weight of his phone containing 800 million. He was a new man. Rich, powerful, and now, dangerous.
He opened the apartment door and stepped into the silent hallway. His martial arts system was already active, scanning the environment. He heard the choked, ragged breathing coming from around the corner of the stairwell. Boy.
He walked calmly towards the stairs, as if unaware of anything. His footsteps echoed on the wooden floor.
Just as he was about to step onto the first stair, a shadow leaped from its hiding place.
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!"
Boy stood before him, his face flushed, tearful, and sweaty. In his hand, he gripped tightly a rusty iron pipe about two feet long. His eyes were bloodshot, filled with blind hatred and despair.
Nathan stopped, standing calmly a few steps above Boy. His face showed no fear whatsoever, only a chilling composure.
"Boy," he said, flatly. "Did you lose something?"
An angry growl escaped Boy's mouth. "You... you ruined everything! Lisa! Nola! You think you can just take everything from me?!"
"Take?" Nathan smirked, coldly. "I didn't take anything. They chose. They chose someone better. Something that shouldn't be hard to understand."
This shot hit its mark. Boy screamed—the cry of a wounded animal—and lunged forward, swinging the iron pipe with all his might towards Nathan's head.
For the old Nathan, it would have been a quick and bloody end. But the new Nathan saw everything in slow motion. The Level 1 Martial Arts System instantly took over. Threat identified: Blunt weapon. Distance: Close. Recommendation: Protect head, execute disarming.
His +20% reflexes kicked in. He didn't back down. Instead, he stepped forward, into the swing, narrowing Boy's range of motion. His left arm rose instinctively, blocking Boy's pipe-wielding wrist, stopping the swing's momentum with brutal force.
Crack! The sound of bone on bone, followed by Boy's grunt of pain.
Before Boy could react, Nathan's basic Krav Maga knowledge surged forth. His free hand punched Boy squarely in the throat.
"Oof!" Boy gasped, his eyes bulging, choking. His grip on the pipe weakened.
Nathan didn't give him time to recover. He grabbed Boy's pipe-wielding arm, twisting it forcefully in a painful direction. Boy screamed in agony as his joint threatened to dislocate. The iron pipe fell and clattered down the stairs.
"You think this is a game, Boy?" Nathan growled, his voice low and dangerous, continuing to twist Boy's arm. "You think you can play with people's feelings, steal people's money, and there are no consequences?"
"Let go of me! Asshole!" Boy yelled, trying to break free weakly, but Nathan was too strong. The punch to his throat had taken his breath away.
"You wanted to hit me with iron?" Nathan hissed, shoving Boy against the wall. "You wanted to play rough?"
With a swift motion, Nathan threw Boy down several steps. Boy tumbled, gasping for air, and struggled to get up.
Nathan leaped down, landing gracefully beside the prone Boy. He picked up the iron pipe. Heavy and cold in his hand.
Boy looked up at him, and for the first time, pure fear flickered in his eyes. "Wait... don't..."
Nathan looked down at him with contempt. "What did you think was going to happen? You were going to hit me, maybe kill me, then get Lisa and Nola back? You're pathetic."
He swung the pipe—not at Boy, but at the iron railing beside him.
Dennng! The loud clang of metal on metal echoed through the hallway, deafening. Boy whimpered in terror, covering his head with his arms.
"Look at yourself," Nathan snarled, standing over him. "Get on your feet!"
Boy, trembling, slowly stood, leaning against the wall for support.
"Listen carefully," Nathan said, his voice as cold as steel and as hard as the pipe in his hand. "You're going to leave here. You're going to return every cent of my money that you stole from Lisa. Everything. If there's one rupiah missing, I'll find you."
He leaned closer, until his face was inches from Boy's pale face. "And if you ever go near Lisa or Nola again, I won't be so nice. I'll visit you in the night, and we'll play with iron again. Do we understand each other?"
Boy nodded rapidly, tears streaming down his face from shame, fear, and defeat. "Yes... yes... I understand."
"Go," Nathan growled.
Boy didn't need to be told twice. He stumbled, almost falling, then ran down the stairs, the sound of his hurried footsteps growing fainter and fainter.
Nathan stood there, alone in the silent hallway, the iron pipe still in his hand. He tossed it aside, and it clattered to the ground. He looked at his hands. No shaking, no fear. Just a cold, satisfying power.
[Threat neutralized. Level 1 Martial Arts System functioning optimally. Host advised to vacate the premises.]
Nathan took a deep breath. He could feel all three of his systems working in harmony: wealth, sexual allure, and now physical power. He was no longer a victim. No longer someone to be trifled with.
He was a predator.
He pulled out his phone, looking at the dizzying balance. 800 million. Enough to start a new life. Enough to exact his revenge even further.
He walked down the stairs, his steps steady. Tonight, he had taken everything from Boy: his pride, the woman of his dreams, and now, his manhood.
And he knew, this was just the beginning. With the system on his side, the whole city was his playground. His cold smile returned as he stepped out into the night air, ready to take whatever he wanted next.