The Calculus class finally ended. The professor gathered his notes and left the auditorium. Ethan remained seated, his body still recovering, waiting for the System's final reward calculation. Ryan Mitchell remained hunched over his desk a few rows ahead, paralyzed by impotent rage.

The System's notifications flooded Ethan's vision.

[CONGRATULATIONS! ALL REWARDS HAVE BEEN DELIVERED.]

[Reward for public masturbation while the other suitor is watching - 100,000]

[Reward for performing oral sex while the other suitor is watching - 150,000]

[Reward for Voyeuristic Act (Make your partner walk without underwear with at least 50 people watching intently) [5,000,000]]

[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE ON A ROLL, HAHAHA!] the System mocked him, immediately flashing the next set of notifications.

[Chaos Missions Rewards]

[Humiliate your partner's suitor by showing how she drinks your cum reward [25 Lux points]]

[Create a Mortal Enemy [225 Lux points]]

When Ethan saw the second Chaos Mission line, he was momentarily stunned. The System's laughter echoed in his mind.

[Congratulations, Champion! That is a complicated achievement! Let's hope you survive, hahaha.]

"Hey, hey. What do you mean by 'Mortal Enemy'?" Ethan demanded, his voice a low, urgent whisper. "Is it what I think it is?"

[If you think it's someone who won't rest until you're in a tomb, then yes. That's exactly right. The good news is that you milked every possible point out of him; from now on, he won't give you a single point, no matter what happens, hahaha.]

"Wait, I just played with a girl he likes! I didn't even fuck her! I fucked the Landlord's wife right in front of him, and this didn't happen!" Ethan hissed, truly bewildered.

[You are far too dull, you know. You should think a little more with your top head instead of your cock, you idiot.]

Ethan lowered his head, accepting the insult. "Fine. Just tell me what the hell I'm missing."

The System adopted a low, informative tone, shedding its playful sarcasm for a moment:

[The difference isn't the act, Champion; it's the person and the context. The Landlord was a pathetic specimen defined by terror and survival. His fear of you and Jason was paramount; he loved his miserable life too much to risk it. Ryan Mitchell, however, is defined by his pride, his social standing, and a profound sense of entitlement. You didn't just steal his girl; you didn't just play with her pussy in front of him. You publicly and physically castrated him by forcing him to watch you defile his prized possession—the symbol of his social status—and then use the memory of that act as a cruel taunt. He doesn't fear you; he sees you as a monster that must be destroyed to restore his honor and his world. In his mind, you are already dead. And nothing you do will change that.]

Ethan stood up from his seat, ignoring the sheer terror and hatred radiating from Ryan Mitchell's hunched form a few rows ahead.

Ethan thought: "Let him come. Let him hate me. If he wants to chase me outside of this school, I'll just have to tear his head off. I came here to have fun; I'm not going to play by their stupid rules forever. If they screw with me, I'll use everything I have to assassinate him."

[That's the attitude, kid! That's exactly how it should be. See? No need for sophisticated strategy when blunt, lethal force works just as well. Money and death solve everything!] the System cheered.

Ethan shrugged off the new threat and walked toward the exit. Hailey met him outside the auditorium, her cheeks still slightly pink from their encounter, but now wearing a demure smile. They walked together toward the cafeteria. That day, they only had the one class, as the remaining professors for their other courses hadn't been assigned yet.

Max and Ming joined them, looking stressed, and Quinn and Ruby arrived soon after. All three couples sat together for lunch.

As they ate, Ethan asked if they wanted to do anything later that day.

"Oh, we can't," Quinn apologized. "Ruby and I have to attend a mandatory credit conference this afternoon. It's about ethics in computing. Super boring, but necessary for the credit load."

"We're going to the library," Ming said, sighing dramatically. "We didn't understand anything from the calculus class today. The partials are approaching, and we're already falling behind."

Ethan remembered that he had entered the semester late and realized he was the one out of sync. For him, it felt like the semester had barely begun, while they were already deeply entrenched in lectures and requirements.

He sighed good-naturedly. "Well, it looks like I'm alone today."

The girls apologized profusely. Hailey leaned over and kissed him quickly. "I'll make it up to you later, okay? Text me when you're free."

They finished their food, shared a round of hugs and kisses, and then all departed for their respective commitments: Ming and Max toward the intimidating silence of the library; the girls toward the stifling, corporate air of a conference hall.

Ethan watched them go, feeling a twinge of loneliness for the first time. Their worries—studying for exams, worrying about conference credits, dealing with professors—were utterly trivial to him. If he needed it, he could walk into the Dean's office, drop a million dollars in cash on her desk, and secure a passing grade for the entire semester.

[That's the champion mindset! Use money to acquire asses and A-grades. I support you 100%. Now go find a distraction that costs money and involves violence or nudity!] the System advised.

Ethan smiled at the System's counsel. The solitude of the empty day was both freeing and a little boring. He had an empire to build and people to manage, but suddenly, the campus felt small and pointless.

Ethan smiled resignedly, stood up, and walked toward his BMW while thinking he would pay Lilly a visit at the pizzeria. He hadn't had time to catch up with her since that day. Jason can handle those thugs. It's still too early to use my "Harder Than Steel" ability; I don't want them to fear me yet.

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