Morning in Manila came with noise before sunlight.Ethan woke up to the familiar chaos of Luneta Park — vendors calling out for breakfast sales, the faint music from someone's Bluetooth speaker, the gentle splash of the fountain nearby. His back ached from sleeping on the bench, and his legs were half numb, but he smiled anyway.
He wasn't used to smiling in the morning.
He rubbed his eyes and checked his phone.Overnight, the notifications exploded.TikTok, YouTube, Facebook — they all had the same thing. His face. His voice. His name.
"Street Singer in Manila Breaks the Internet.""From Nothing to Viral Overnight.""Who Is Ethan Cruz?"
He sat there for a long time, scrolling through comments, reading people's reactions. Some were from students, some from musicians, and some from complete strangers telling him they cried hearing his song.
He never thought his voice could reach people like that.
Then came the message request — a lot of them. But one stood out.
Carlos Ramos — MNote Productions"Good morning, Ethan. I'm the producer of MNote. We saw your videos and would like to offer you an opportunity. Please come by our office today if you're interested."
He reread it three times.
"An offer?" he muttered, almost laughing. "This… this can't be real."
The system window quietly appeared before him like it had been listening.
[Tip: Opportunities are part of progress. Your choices may affect future career paths.]
Ethan blinked. "You can hear me now?"
[System is always listening for user-related triggers.]
He sighed. "Right. Of course you are."
Still, he couldn't ignore it. He tucked his phone in his pocket, picked up his guitar case, and headed for the nearest jeepney terminal.
The ride to Makati took over an hour. The morning traffic was brutal — cars packed like sardines, jeepneys crawling at walking speed, and the smell of diesel hanging thick in the air. Ethan sat by the window, clutching his guitar like it was his lifeline.
When he finally arrived, everything looked… different.Makati wasn't like Quiapo or Luneta. The buildings were tall, polished, with tinted glass and people who smelled like perfume instead of sweat.
Ethan looked down at his faded jeans and sneakers with holes near the toes. He scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, I definitely don't belong here."
He found the MNote Productions office — a tall building with a big glass door and a smiling receptionist inside.
"Hi, uh," he started awkwardly. "I'm here for… an offer? I got a message from a Mr. Ramos."
The receptionist's eyes brightened. "Oh! You're Ethan Cruz?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Wow! I saw your video last night!" she said, grinning. "Please wait, sir. I'll let him know you're here."
Ethan blinked. Sir. No one had ever called him that before.
She led him to a waiting area. He sat down on a couch that felt too soft and tried not to touch anything. The office smelled like coffee and new paper. There were framed posters of famous singers — people he'd only seen online.
A few minutes later, a man in his late 30s walked in. Broad-shouldered, neatly dressed, confident smile.
"Ethan Cruz," he said, extending a hand. "Carlos Ramos. You really shook up the internet this week."
Ethan shook his hand carefully. "T-thank you, sir."
Carlos gestured toward his office. "Come in. Let's talk."
The office was neat but warm, filled with awards, music sheets, and a single guitar leaning in the corner. Carlos sat behind his desk while Ethan sat across from him, trying not to look nervous.
"I'll be honest," Carlos began, "I didn't expect that video to go that viral. You've got a voice that connects with people. Not too polished, not too raw — just real."
Ethan stayed quiet, unsure how to respond.
Carlos smiled. "We want to sign you for a small showcase. Nothing huge — just a trial performance for a live stream next week. We'll pay you, and if it goes well, we'll talk about contracts, sponsorships, maybe even a recording deal."
Ethan blinked. "Wait—pay me? For singing?"
Carlos chuckled. "Of course. You've already made more noise than half our roster."
Ethan sat there in disbelief. It felt unreal — like a dream. But then his mind flashed back to the blue window.
The system hadn't said anything since he arrived, but deep inside, he wondered if this offer was part of something bigger.
He nodded slowly. "I'll do it."
"Great," Carlos said, handing him a card. "That's my assistant's number. We'll arrange everything. Also, do you have a place to stay? We can provide accommodations for a few nights if needed."
Ethan hesitated. "No, I'm fine. I'll figure it out."
Carlos studied him for a second, then nodded. "Alright. But if you need help, don't hesitate to call. You've got something special, Ethan. Don't waste it."
When Ethan stepped out of the building, the afternoon sun hit him square in the face. He walked to a nearby bench and sat down, trying to process everything.
He opened the system again. The soft blue glow reflected in his eyes.
[System Notice: Career progression influenced by real-world achievements.][Career XP Gained: +250 for Music Offer]
He frowned. "So… you're tracking my real life too?"
[Affirmative. All progress tied to chosen career path.]
A new tab opened automatically.
[Career System — Detailed Overview]
Career Level: Each level represents mastery. Leveling up requires Career Points (CP) earned from completing quests or achievements.
Career Points (CP): Used to increase your Career Level. Each new level requires more points than the last.
Stat Points (SP): Earned only when a career reaches its MAX level. Stat Points can enhance physical and personal attributes.
Attributes:
Physique – affects appearance and health.
Strength – affects power, carrying ability.
Stamina – affects endurance during performances or physical work.
Dexterity – affects guitar skill and precision.
Intelligence – affects learning speed and decision-making.
Charm – affects charisma, fan appeal, and confidence.
Note: Every new career unlocked will start from Level 1, but Stat Points remain permanent.
Ethan's head spun a little. "So, I can literally… become better? Like, actually stronger or more attractive just by finishing careers?"
[Affirmative.]
He exhaled sharply. "That's insane."
He leaned back on the bench, staring at the sky. Clouds drifted lazily over the city, and jeepneys passed below with passengers shouting for change. Everything around him was normal — yet he felt like he'd stepped into something that could change his entire life.
He opened the stat tab again.
[Stats]Physique: 5Strength: 5Stamina: 4Dexterity: 6Intelligence: 5Charm: 6Unused Stat Points: 0
He tapped "Career Info."
[Street Guitarist Lv. 3]XP: 150 / 400CP: 0 / 5 for next levelSkills: Basic Performance (Passive), Perfect Pitch (Passive)
"Hmm…" Ethan said. "So, if I level this up more, I'll get better skills?"
[Affirmative. Each level may unlock new active or passive abilities depending on the user's effort.]
"Effort, huh." He smiled faintly. "That's fine. I've got plenty of that."
That night, Ethan went back to Luneta Park, but not to perform. He sat under a lamppost and played softly to himself, testing the small changes he felt since leveling up.
His fingers moved smoother. The strings sounded cleaner. He didn't tire as quickly.
People still stopped to listen, tossing coins into his case, but he wasn't watching them anymore. He was watching the floating bars on his system window.
[Career XP +5][Career XP +3][CP +1]
"Okay," he muttered, grinning. "So performing really does earn me XP. Noted."
The idea that he could turn something as simple as street playing into literal progress felt unreal — but it was real enough that he could see the numbers rise.
Then the screen flashed again.
[System Notice: Due to high public attention, your influence value has increased.][Influence Modifier unlocked! Charm stat now affects fan growth and sponsor interest.]
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Influence modifier? You're really like a game, huh?"
He laughed softly to himself. "Alright, System. Let's play, then."
He strummed another chord, his voice blending with the hum of the city.
He didn't know where this road would lead — but for the first time, it didn't matter.He wasn't just singing to survive anymore.
He was building something — one song, one crowd, one level at a time.
And somewhere deep inside, the blue light pulsed again.
[System Notice: Main Career Quest — "First Stage" unlocked.]Objective: Perform in a professional event within 7 days.Reward: +2 Career Points, +500 XP, +₱5000]
Ethan looked at the glowing message and grinned.
"Guess that live showcase's my next quest, huh?"