[Welcome to the system interface! You can check your attribute panel or open your newbie gift pack.]
No way, I got a SYSTEM!
Liam calmed himself before opening his attribute panel.
[Liam Black]
Species: Human
Strength: 13
Agility: 12
Constitution: 15
Memory: 9
Spirit: 8
Willpower: 11
[System Note. The base stats for a standard adult are - Strength ten, Agility ten, Constitution ten, Memory eight, Spirit six, Willpower six]
Not bad. His physical attributes were quite decent, especially his constitution, which was five points higher than standard adult's. Well, it made sense—he is the star quarterback, after all.
His memory and spirit, though… could use some work.
[Special character detected: Needy Lesnicki. You can extract Fate Power to receive rewards!]
'System, what exactly is Fate Power?'
[It is the power possessed by characters with unique stories. Their fates are often filled with twists and turns.]
Got it. Basically, it's the luck that main characters in movies and games tend to have.
'So, how do I extract it?'
[You have two options: Form an intimate bond with the target things like emotional closeness, physical intimacy, and trust allows user to continuously extract Fate, or End their story. To kill a bearer of Fate severs their thread of destiny, releasing a one-time surge of Fate Power No matter which method you choose, your first successful extraction comes with an additional bonus.]
So, one option was milking Fate Power, and the other was a one and done.
Liam's eyes flicked to Needy, her twin braids swinging as she stacked cups, her glasses slipping down her nose. Killing her? Completely out of the question. She was Amanda Seyfried, for crying out loud, and he wasn't a monster.
Just then, he was struck with a thought.
'System Do I have a newbie gift package?'
[Yes, User has a newbie gift package, Would you like to open it?]
'Hell yeah.'
[Newbie gift pack opened!]
[Acquired: Mike Tyson's boxing techniques]
[Acquired: Bob Munden's shooting skills]
[Acquired: Grigori Rasputin's charisma]
Mike Tyson? No surprises there. The whole world knew the saying about Tyson switching to billiards.
But who were the other two?
Just as Liam was about to ask the system for more details, he suddenly felt something strange happening to his dick.
What the hell? Did someone spike my drink?
Needy, watching Liam's shifting expressions, assumed he hadn't meant it when he said he was feeling better.
"Liam, if you're really feeling down, you can talk to me about it!"
She mustered up her courage and scooted closer. Normally, she was a shy girl, but she must've had a few drinks tonight, making her unexpectedly bold.
Liam looked at Needy and sifted through the original owner's memories.
The memories of the original Liam filled in the gaps. Needy Lesnicki, Jennifer Morgan's best friend. Jennifer was the cheer captain, a walking supernova of charisma and danger. Needy? Quiet, bookish, but fiercely loyal.
And, yeah, she had a crush on Liam Black. He could feel it in the way she lingered, her eyes darting to him when she thought he wasn't looking. High school drama at its finest—love triangles, rejections, and all.
Jennifer had shot down Liam's confession after the game, leaving him heartbroken.
Needy probably felt caught in the middle, trying to keep the peace. But Liam—the new Liam—saw an opportunity to unlock some Fate Power.
Step one:Charm Needy.
If Liam had to choose? Easy—he'd take both. Why waste time thinking about it?
Sensing Liam's gaze, Needy's face turned even redder.
"L-Liam, why are you looking at me like that?"
Liam looked at Needy, really looked at her. The braids, the nervous little frown, the way her hands fidgeted in her lap. Somewhere between all the chaos of the party and his sudden new reality, he'd overlooked her.
"Needy," he said softly, "I can't believe I'm just now realizing this, but… you're beautiful."
Her heart skipped. Her cheeks flushed crimson. "L-Liam, are you drunk? You're talking nonsense!"
He shook his head. "No. I didn't drink tonight. I guess I'm just… starting to see the real you."
Her wide eyes locked with his. For a moment, neither of them moved. Liam reached out, gently brushing his fingers against hers, waiting for her to pull away.
She didn't.
Instead, Needy's breath caught, her body trembling with nerves. "This… this isn't right," she whispered. "Jennifer… she told me she does like you. She's just… busy."
Liam blinked, surprised. So that's why Needy had stayed—she didn't want him to misunderstand Jennifer.
Still, the look in Needy's eyes told a different story.
He squeezed her hand, but lightly, wanting to be. "Then let's keep this between us. Just for now."
Her face turned scarlet. "L-Liam…"
He leaned in, his nose brushing hers. Their breaths mingled. For a second, it felt like the world had shrunk down to just the two of them—her lips parted ever so slightly, like she wasn't sure whether to speak or…
RING RING RING!
The phone shrieked, shattering the moment.
Needy yelped, pulling back like a frightened rabbit. Liam exhaled, frustrated, running a hand through his hair. Whoever was calling had the worst timing in history.
RING RING RING!
"Don't worry, I'll answer it."
He got up from the couch and walked over and picked up the receiver.
"Hello, this is the Black residence."
A voice on the other end, deliberately low and raspy, responded.
"Hey there, Liam Black. Enjoying the party?"
Liam instantly knew the caller was disguising their voice.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Heh heh heh. Why don't you take a guess?"
Liam already had an idea of who it was but he had more important things to do, Without hesitation, he hung up.
"Who was it?" Needy asked.
"Just a prank call. Nothing to worry about."
He returned to the couch, but Needy had sobered up. She kept her distance, avoiding his gaze.
Well, that was that. No chance of making a move tonight. Liam cursed the caller again—if it weren't for them interrupting, he might've already unlocked a system reward.
Since things weren't going his way, he decided to be a gentleman. No need to let Needy's opinion of him drop.
"Needy, it's late. Let me walk you home."
"Thank you, Liam."
Just as he stood up—
RING RING RING!
The phone rang again.