Maluck taking a sip of his coffee said, stretching lazily. “So, just to confirm—you said I don’t have to do anything, right? Like, nothing at all?”

  Soi narrowed his eyes. “Technically, you need to sign a few things—”

  “Yeah, yeah, eventually.” Maluck waved a hand dismissively. “But right now, if I just hand over this check, I can leave and go about my very important business?”

  Soi stared at him. “You mean gambling?”

  Maluck gasped dramatically. “I am offended. I run a highly diversified luck-based investment portfolio.”

  Soi exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Right. And let me guess, the strategy is ‘bet until I win’?”

  “Exactly,” Maluck said, nodding. “See? You get me.”

  Soi crossed his arms. “So you’re just gonna hand me, a total stranger you just met, a $200,000 check and walk away? Just like that?”

  “Yup.”

  “You’re seriously not worried I might take it and disappear?”

  Maluck grinned, sliding the check across the table. “Not even a little.”

  Soi raised an eyebrow. “You just met me in a coffee shop.”

  “True.”

  “You barely know my last name.”

  “Also true.”

  “And I only have you a very quick summary of my background. And you haven’t done any reference checks.”

  Maluck shrugged. “Yeah, but I’m a great judge of character.”

  Soi gave him a flat look. “Based on what?”

  Maluck smirked. Secretly, he wasn’t trusting at all. But his Scammer Slayer improvisation skill hadn’t gone off once, which meant this guy was legit. That skill was basically his human lie detector, and so far, Soi had passed every test.

  Besides, if Soi did try to screw him over? Maluck would find a way to make his life a living nightmare filled with angry geese, untied shoelaces and suspiciously coincidental chaos.

  Instead of saying all that, Maluck simply leaned back and grinned. “Call it a hunch.”

  Soi shook his head in disbelief. “You’re either the dumbest person I’ve ever met or the most trusting.”

  “Why not both?” Maluck said, standing up. “Anyway, enjoy your new job, buddy. Give me a call when I need to scribble my name on something.”

  Soi watched Maluck casually walk away, still stunned at how quickly this guy was willing to dump a $200,000 check in his lap and call it a day. As Maluck reached the door, Soi finally snapped out of it and called after him.

  “Maluck! If you win big, let me know! I’ll need that info… oh, wait… only fifty grand—only tell me when you win big!” He didn’t want Maluck calling him every five minutes. “And if you win too big, we’re gonna have to start buying ‘art pieces’ and ‘business assets’ to keep the government from sticking their greedy little fingers where they don’t belong!”

  Maluck waved a hand over his shoulder like he’d just been given the most casual life advice ever. “Got it! Win big, buy art, dodge taxes. Love this plan!”

  Soi shook his head, rubbing his temples. “Jesus Christ, this guy’s either gonna make me rich or send me to prison…”

  ***

  Maluck decided to drive back to his hotel. All of his… “work” had been done. He had sold the comic, started a business, and now it was time to relax. Maybe grab some lunch. Turn in his lottery winnings. Yeah, lunch sounded good.

  First, though, he decided to check in on Chloe.

  “Hey, Chloe, how’s the training going?” he asked as he walked into the gym.

  She hissed at him like an angry cat. “This is bullshit. When I signed up for the two days, I didn’t think I’d be stuck in the gym for the whole damn day.”

  “It’s not the whole day,” Maluck said, holding up his hands defensively. “It’s only been a couple hours.”

  “Grrrr,” Chloe said, squinting at him with pure betrayal.

  “Anyways… why don’t you grab a shower? Then we’ll finish up,” he offered.

  “That’s better,” Chloe muttered, wiping sweat from her forehead.

  “And I’ll buy you lunch.”

  “That’s even better.”

  After her shower, they went down to the hotel restaurant and had an incredibly good meal.

  Today, they both got grilled salmon with seared scallops. The salmon was perfectly cooked, its skin crispy and golden brown, while the flesh inside was tender and flaky, glistening with a delicate sheen. A light glaze of lemon-butter sauce added just the right amount of richness, perfectly complementing the natural flavor of the fish.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  The seared scallops sat next to it, each one caramelized to a soft, golden-brown perfection. The edges had just the right amount of crispness, while the inside remained plump and buttery. They practically melted in the mouth, bursting with a sweet, briny flavor that seemed to perfectly balance the richness of the salmon.

  A sprinkle of fresh herbs and a few sprigs of thyme sat atop the dish, their green vibrance offering a light, aromatic contrast to the warm, savory seafood. On the side, a small serving of creamy mashed potatoes added a soft, comforting base to the dish, and a delicate drizzle of roasted garlic aioli tied it all together.

  It was the kind of dish that felt indulgent but light, the flavors dancing across the tongue with every bite. A meal that wasn’t just satisfying—it was an experience.

  It was fine dining at its best.

  And the best part? It was rich in healthy fats, fish oil, and protein—everything they needed to fuel their workouts. The salmon was packed with omega-3 fatty acids, those heart-healthy fats that not only helped to keep their joints lubricated for heavy lifting but also improved overall brain function. The seared scallops added another layer of lean protein, perfect for muscle recovery after a tough session in the gym. Together, the dish was a powerhouse of nutrition—light yet filling, and full of the good stuff that would support their intense workouts.

  As they dug in, Maluck couldn’t help but appreciate how balanced the meal was—nothing weighed them down, but it gave them the energy to keep pushing through their routines. The fish oil from the salmon would work wonders on their muscles, reducing inflammation from all the squats and deadlifts. Plus, the protein would aid in muscle repair and growth, helping them get stronger with each gym session.

  It was the kind of food that made them feel like they were doing something right—fueling their bodies with wholesome, nutrient-dense ingredients that would keep them going strong, both in the gym and in life.

  “This is what I’m talking about,” said Chloe, taking a bite of her perfectly seared salmon. “I thought you’d force me to be on a diet of plain chicken breast and hard-boiled eggs.”

  “Nah,” said Maluck, shaking his head. “Getting in shape is 80% diet, so what fun would it be to be rolling in casino wins if we had to change our diet to horribly bland chicken? You think I’m gonna enjoy my 10k while chewing on a flavorless hunk of chicken?”

  Chloe laughed. “Exactly! What’s the point of winning big if I have to survive on bland food? I didn’t sign up for a lifetime of chewing through cardboard.”

  Maluck grinned, raising his glass. “Exactly. You’re not a hamster. You deserve the good stuff. I mean, we can’t let those gains go to waste with bland chicken and egg meals, right?”

  Chloe smirked. “That’s right. I’d rather skip the ‘wellness’ if it means giving up on things that taste good.”

  Maluck chuckled. “Exactly. Gotta balance the wins, the workouts, and the meals. No point in getting fit if you’re miserable the whole time, right?”

  Chloe raised her glass. “To good food, good fortune, and not having to live on dry chicken and despair.”

  “Cheers to that,” Maluck said with a laugh, and they clinked water glasses.

  After her meal, Chloe sighed contentedly. “Okay. I can’t hate you for abandoning me in the gym now.”

  “Good to know,” Maluck said, popping a scallop into his mouth. “So… we’ve got half a day left. You’ve worked so hard training. What do you want to do?”

  Chloe twirled her fork between her fingers and gave him a slow, considering look. Then, with a small smirk, she said, “I don’t know… you wanna head back up to the hotel room?”

  She gave him a very deliberate wink.

  Maluck grinned. “I could definitely do some cardio.”

  And with that, they headed upstairs.

  [System Task] Make sure Chloe makes an O-face three times.

  System Bonus: +0.02 Endurance.

  Maluck read the task and nearly choked on air.

  ‘Wait… seriously? I get rewarded for this?’

  He wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or slightly concerned about the System’s priorities. But hey, free stats were free stats. And endurance? That was definitely a useful upgrade.

  Maluck smirked to himself. “I can definitely get behind this,” he muttered, grinning like a wolf.

  Chloe, already heading toward the elevator, glanced at him. “What’s so funny?”

  “Oh, nothing,” Maluck said, waving her off. “Just feeling extra motivated.”

  Chloe raised an eyebrow. “Riiiight. Whatever, Lucky McLuckface.”

  As they stepped into the elevator, Maluck cracked his knuckles and mentally prepared himself. ‘Three times, huh? Well, he wasn’t about to let the system down.’

  Challenge accepted.

  ***

  Maluck lay back in bed, staring at the ceiling with the biggest self-satisfied grin. He felt fantastic. Like he’d just leveled up in the most fun way possible. Because he had.

  [System Task: COMPLETED] Great job tiger!

  Bonus: Statistical dominance over an entire continent’s worth of dudes, Endurance stat in reserve. Plus 3 LP for enthusiasm.

  His Endurance stat had ticked up by +0.02, and while that might not sound like much, he knew exactly what it meant now.

  That wasn’t just a number. That was 80 million men who were now officially worse than him at… well, this.

  ‘Damn,’ he thought, barely holding back a laugh. ‘I just outperformed the entire male populations of France and Australia combined.’

  He turned his head slightly. Chloe was still asleep, hair a mess, her arm draped lazily over her face. She looked peaceful. Exhausted. Mission accomplished.

  Maluck mentally fist-pumped.

  He stretched out, feeling elite. And chuckled.

  ‘Some guys wake up and check the stock market. Others check their crypto wallets. Me? I check my Endurance stats.’

  The best part? Chloe had no clue that their sex had just made him physically stronger. And luckier!

  He had to fight the urge to laugh too loud. If she caught him she’d think he was being weird.

  ‘No wonder RPG protagonists always end up with harems. If they’re getting passive stat boosts like this, it’s basically an arms race. Except it’s not arms we are comparing.’

  He exhaled, thoroughly pleased with himself.

  Then, out of pure curiosity, he checked the hard numbers.

  Before, his Endurance had been 1.05. With the new boost, it was now sitting at 1.07.

  When his Endurance stat finally jumped from 1.05 to 1.07, it didn’t seem like much of a change. Just 0.02. Not a huge deal, right?

  But here’s where it got interesting: the System didn’t work like normal stats or percentiles. It wasn’t about getting a flat increase in endurance—it was about how your endurance stacked up against everyone else.

  Maluck had gone from being better than about half the population with his 1.05 to suddenly outlasting 400 million men with 1.07. Why? Well, a small change like that pushed him from the average range, where most people’s stats hovered, straight into the top 1%.

  It’s kind of like this: in a world full of people clustered at the middle of the pack, a small improvement can shoot you up the ranks. Maluck’s 0.02 increase wasn’t just a minor bump—it launched him ahead of millions, maybe even billions.

  He wasn’t just a bit better than before. No, he had officially ascended into the top 1% of global male endurance, all because of that little push from the System.

  A 0.02 increase was like a tiny snowball at the top of a hill, picking up momentum until it could crush everything below. Maluck was now top-tier, and it hadn’t even taken him long to get there.

  It was wild how a small boost could have such an impact on a global scale, but hey, that’s the System for you. Every little increase mattered, and apparently, this one mattered a lot.

  Which meant, on a global scale, he had already surpassed 400 million men in terms of raw stamina. Four. Hundred. Million.

  Maluck had literally ascended into the top 1% of male durability worldwide—and all it took was one incredible session in bed.

  ‘Jesus. If I do this a few more times, I might unlock Super Sayanballz.’

  He snorted at his own thoughts and stretched out again.

  ‘You know what? I should celebrate. Steak and eggs. That feels right. A true victory meal.’

  Yeah. He was built different now.

  I’m writing book 2 right now….and depending on how people enjoy it, plotting out book 3!