Selene woke up to the soft warmth of the sun shining through the high glass windows.
She sat up in a bed so soft it nearly kidnapped her again. Silk sheets spread over her like butter, and velvet curtains framed a window the size of her old apartment.
She blinked once. Twice.
'This feels so awkward.'
There was a knock at the door.
"Miss Sinclair," a voice called, smooth and courteous. "Your breakfast is ready."
She opened the door in a fluffy bathrobe worth more than a semester of tuition and was greeted by her personal chef—a man with a French accent, several tattoos, and what looked suspiciously like a sabre strapped to his apron.
"Thank you, Andre." Selene smiled.
On the long marble table downstairs, an obscene spread waited for her: croissants folded with pistachio cream, scrambled eggs with edible gold, hand-squeezed orange juice, and what might have been caviar trying to unionize.
Staff stood along the walls, waiting politely. Watching. Not judging, but definitely not not judging.
Selene sat down and poked a pastry with the wariness of someone who grew up on cup noodles and cafeteria betrayal.
"Thanks," she mumbled again, awkwardly.
Everything felt too strange.
She took a single bite. It was so good that she considered marrying the chef and/or ascending to a higher plane of existence.
And yet, as the initial rush wore off, the strange feeling returned in her heart. Was this the wealth she had been missing for all these years?
She had grown in riches… but after barely being able to spend pennies for so long, being surrounded by so much wealth also made her feel a weird kind of sickness.
Was this what wealth felt like? Like an overly decorated waiting room between chaos and guilt?
After a moment, Selene stood up, walked to her wardrobe, and skipped over the gowns and absurd designer heels. She picked a plain, oversized blazer—no labels, no logos—something that said, "I have money, but I also have trauma from being dirt poor."
Just as she returned to her bedroom, a familiar chime rang in her ears.
Ding!
A glowing golden screen opened in her vision, showing off the RPG-style panel.
[Ascension Classes Unlocked!]
[Initializing Class Selection...]
[Evaluating past decisions, trauma, tragic backstory— ]
"What the hell?" Selene frowned.
But the system continued nonchalantly.
[Evaluating Aesthetic Preferences, Financial Recklessness, Revenge Quotient, and Ego Size...]
Ding!
[Evaluation completed!]
[Hello Player, kindly select one of the following Ascension Classes. These choices will define your future quests, scenarios, rewards, and passive abilities!]
CLASS: The Phantom Trillionaire
"Speak less, earn more. Your silence will buy fear, and your shadow will conquer all wealth."
Core Perks —
+500 Aura (intimidation rolls always succeed unless against gods or grandmas)
Passive Skills —
Threatening Silence (stuns targets for 10 seconds in business meetings)
Immune to PR scandal: (Rumors against you will become legends!)
Easily Elusive: Gain +50% Buff in Evading Suspicions
Cons —
Must keep your identity hidden or lose all progress!
Permanently flagged on elite social registries as "Probably a Villain."
Unique Questline —
"The Veiled Empire" — Establish an empire across multiple industries without ever showing your face. Your influence spreads through proxies, coded messages, and unsettling coincidences.
Selene froze.
The golden screen flickered.
CLASS: Heir to Nothing, Queen of Everything
"They thought you had nothing. You just didn't show your cards."
Core Perks —
All skills +10 when underestimated. +20 when mocked in public
Rewards double whenever someone pities you before you dominate them
Public humiliation unlocks Secret Boss Boost
Cons —
Must frequently play dumb or weak to bait enemies
Public perception takes constant hits. Media rarely gives you credit
You're always underestimated — sometimes even by allies
Unique Questline —
"From Ashes to Empire" — Manipulate perceptions, weaponize underestimation, and take over the world while they still think you're "just a broke girl with dreams."
CLASS: The Masked Vigilante
"They crushed you silently. Now you will destroy them dramatically."
Core Perks —
+50 Stealth, +30 Intimidation, unlocks Phantom Gear Arsenal
Passive Abilities: Symbol of Night — boosts influence over rebels, victims, and outcasts
Unlocks Echo Memory Mode — lets you recreate emotional trauma as a strategic advantage
Cons —
Must operate mostly at night or in secrecy (visibility penalties in public)
Cannot openly claim victories — all influence is masked or redirected.
Obsessive justice path — can't commit wrong.
Unique Questline —
Rebuild the World That Abandoned You
Take down corrupt mega-corps and rich, rotten families from the inside. Track and dismantle every structure that benefitted from the suffering of people like you.
CLASS: The Iron Widow
"A rogue genius. A shameless heartthrob. Why save the world when you can possess it?"
Core Perks —
+50 to Tech Creation & Innovation, +50 to Intelligence, +30 to Witty Seduction
Unlocks Living Armor Protocols — auto-generates solutions to real-time threats
Passive Ability: The Charmer. You will charm enemies and allies alike through your wits, wealth, and beauty!
Scene Dominance Bonus in: Red car parts, research labs, secret island getaways!
Cons —
Emotionally disconnected in "Inventor High" – You become cold, brilliant, and terrifying.
Flirtation Can Be Self-Sabotage – One wrong smirk can collapse a negotiation or cause accidental engagement.
Targeted by Bitter Tech Bros & Obsessive Exes – They'll sue you, stalk you, or try to marry you. Sometimes, all three.
Unique Questline —
"Build a Better Self."
Create world-changing inventions — not because the world deserves them, but because you do. And maybe create a harem of weaponized andriod assistants dressed like they walked off the cover of Forves and Vogue—simultaneously.
Selene shook her head, muttering, "This last class is so weird. Why the hell system think I would ever chose this?"
Her eyes locked onto The Dark Knight.
Selene had always loved the gothic aesthetics and broody superheroes.
'Yes. That one.'
Just as she reached out to tap the icon, the interface glitched. A spark—a small shock, like the screen had bit her.
"OW—What the hell?" Selene flinched, pulling her hand back.
[Selection Confirmed: Iron Widow Class Unlocked.]
"No. No, no, no, NO. I clicked THE DARK KNIGHT, I swear on Blackie's tail I clicked—"
But it was too late. The holographic screen shimmered, showing new details.
[Congratulations! You have received +50 Points to Tech Creation!]
+ 50 Points to Intelligence
+ 30 Points to Witty Seduction
Living Armor Unlocked!
[The Class Iron Widow is in complete effect!]
Selene's heart sank.
She hated nothing more than technical things and inventions! What was she supposed to do with these new skills?
Worse. What the hell was she supposed to do with seduction skills???
"What do I even do with this?" she demanded at the air. "I didn't want to seduce—I wanted to punch my ex in the face on a rooftop!"
Selene let out a slow, painful groan.
"…What have I gotten myself into?"
.
.
Meanwhile, across the city...
Aaron Wolf stepped out of the shower, steam curling off his shoulders like he'd just emerged from some Calvin Klein cologne commercial. He toweled off absently, barely registering the cold marble under his feet or the city skyline stretching outside his penthouse window.
His phone was silent.
Still no call.
No message.
She'd appeared in his life like a lightning strike — said she wanted to buy his company, dropped a casual one billion dollars into his account — and then vanished. Who does that?
What was she trying to do?
Was it another scheme from the Monteverde family…
What if she—
No. Don't be an idiot, Aaron.
And yet… she lingered in his mind.
The voice that had almost felt like a dream last night lingered.
He didn't know who she really was.
He didn't know what she wanted.
But something told him—
He'd see her again.
Soon.
And when he did?
He might not like the side she was on.