Ren didn't go home immediately.
Instead, he found himself walking without direction, his pace slower than usual, his mind far too occupied to notice where his feet were taking him. The sounds of the city blended into a distant hum, fading behind the steady rhythm of his thoughts.
¥120 spent.
¥1 deducted.
No delay. No error. No correction.
It had worked too cleanly.
By the time he realized it, he had stopped in front of a convenience store—different from the one earlier, but just as ordinary. Bright lights spilled out onto the sidewalk, illuminating rows of products inside, all neatly arranged, all priced, all… measurable.
Ren stood there for a moment, staring through the glass.
Then, almost unconsciously, he stepped inside.
The familiar chime rang out.
This time, he didn't hesitate.
He walked straight toward the refrigerated section and picked up a drink, then paused briefly before grabbing something else—a packaged meal, slightly more expensive than what he would usually choose.
Nothing unreasonable.
Just… slightly above his normal standard.
That was the difference.
At the counter, he placed the items down without saying anything. The cashier scanned them quickly, the total appearing on the screen.
"¥680."
Ren glanced at the number, then at his card.
A small part of him still resisted.
Not fear, exactly.
More like… caution.
But another part of him—quieter, yet more persistent—pushed back.
It worked once.
This is still a small amount.
You're not doing anything extreme.
Ren exhaled lightly and tapped his card.
The transaction went through.
Effortlessly.
He stepped aside, already pulling out his phone before even leaving the counter.
Balance: ¥499,999 → ¥499,998
He stared at the screen for a few seconds, his expression tightening slightly.
¥680 spent.
¥1 deducted.
Again.
Ren refreshed the app, his thumb moving quickly, almost impatiently this time.
No change.
A faint tension that he hadn't realized he was holding released slowly from his shoulders.
"…So it's consistent."
The words came out quieter than before, but this time, there was something different in his tone.
Less disbelief.
More… confirmation.
Ren stepped out of the store, the night air hitting him again as he stood still on the sidewalk. His grip on the phone loosened slightly, but his gaze remained fixed on the screen.
The number barely moved.
¥499,998.
For the first time, it didn't feel like just a number.
It felt like something else entirely.
A resource.
His thoughts began to shift again, more structured this time, less scattered.
If every purchase was reduced like this…
Then technically—
Ren paused mid-thought, his brows knitting together slightly.
"…What's the limit?"
The question surfaced naturally.
Almost immediately.
Because something like this couldn't exist without one.
There had to be a boundary. A restriction. Some kind of cap that he hadn't seen yet.
Otherwise—
"…That doesn't make sense."
He shook his head lightly, slipping his phone back into his pocket.
Standing there wasn't going to give him answers.
He started walking again.
This time, his direction wasn't entirely aimless.
A few blocks ahead, a brightly lit electronics store stood at the corner of the street. The glass windows displayed rows of new devices—phones, laptops, accessories—all arranged in a way that made them hard to ignore.
Ren slowed down as he approached.
He didn't go inside.
Not yet.
Instead, he stood across the street, watching.
The latest smartphone model was displayed prominently in the center, its sleek design catching the light. A small sign beneath it showed the price.
¥148,000
Ren's eyes lingered on it.
Normally, he wouldn't even consider it.
Not seriously.
He would look, maybe think about it briefly, then move on.
That was how it always went.
But now—
His thoughts didn't stop there.
¥148,000…
If the same rule applied—
That would be around…
His fingers twitched slightly, as if he wanted to calculate it, even though he already knew.
"…¥148."
The number felt absurd.
Ren let out a quiet breath, his gaze still fixed on the display.
For a moment, he imagined it—walking in, picking it up, paying without hesitation. No second-guessing. No checking his balance five times before committing.
Just… deciding.
The thought lingered longer than it should have.
Then—
His phone vibrated.
Ren blinked, pulling it out instinctively.
The screen lit up.
[Alternative Option Available]
His expression froze.
The message was different.
Not the same as before.
Beneath it, another line appeared.
[Higher Outcome Probability Detected]
Ren stared at the screen, his mind momentarily blank.
"…Outcome?"
The word felt out of place.
Slowly, his gaze shifted back toward the store.
Then back to his phone.
The message didn't explain anything.
It didn't tell him what to do.
It didn't even specify what the "alternative" was.
And yet—
For some reason—
It felt like it already knew what he was thinking.
Ren stood there in silence, the city moving around him as if nothing had changed.
But something had.
Not the system.
Not the money.
Him.
Because for the first time, the hesitation he had always felt—the instinct to step back, to delay, to choose the safer option—
Didn't come as easily.
Ren looked at the store again, his expression shifting slightly, something sharper forming beneath the surface.
If there really was a limit…
Then the only way to find it—
Was to test it.
[End of Chapter 3]