Life in the city was loud, but Akash felt silent. At 23, his only achievement was a collection of rejection letters and a bank balance that showed zero. He lived in a tiny room where the walls smelled of old paper and broken dreams.
That night, as the rain drummed against his window, Akash stared at his old phone. He was waiting for a job email, but instead, something impossible happened.
His phone screen didn't turn blue or white. It turned blood red.
"What's wrong with this thing?" he whispered, tapping the glass.
Suddenly, a cold, clear voice echoed not in the room, but inside his head.
[ System Initializing... ]
[ Host: Akash Chowdhury ]
[ Current Status: Life at Rock Bottom ]
Akash froze. He looked around, but the room was empty. Then, a glowing translucent window appeared in the air right before his eyes.
[ Do you want to rewrite your destiny? ]
[ Yes / No ]
His heart hammered against his ribs. It looked like a video game, but it felt terrifyingly real. He thought about his empty pockets, his tired mother back in the village, and the insults from his landlord.
With a shaking finger, he touched [ Yes ].
[ Contract Signed. ]
[ You have received your first Quest: "The Golden Moment". ]
[ Task: Go to the balcony and shout 'Stop' at exactly 11:11 PM. ]
[ Reward: The 'Wealth Magnet' Skill and $5,000. ]
Akash looked at the clock. It was 11:10 PM.
He didn't know if he was going crazy or if his life was finally changing. He ran to the balcony. The street below was dark and wet. A black car was speeding down the road.
11:10:55...
11:10:59...
11:11:00.
"STOP!" Akash screamed with all his might.
Screech! The car slammed its brakes just inches away from a stray dog crossing the road. The driver stepped out, trembling. He looked up and saw Akash.
"Young man... you saved me! I almost hit that dog and crashed into that pole!" the man shouted, his voice thick with gratitude.
At that exact moment, Akash's phone vibrated.
[ Quest Completed. ]
[ Reward Sent to your Bank Account. ]
[ Welcome to your new life, Akash. ]
A notification popped up: "Account Credited: $5,000.00"
Akash leaned against the railing, his breath coming in gasps. The rain felt sweet on his face. For the first time in years, he wasn't a loser. He was the owner of a System.