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Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: From Trash to Trending

The sun burned through the haze over Aquamarine, casting a golden light over the bustling city. Ethan Cross leaned against the railing of his small apartment balcony, sipping instant coffee from a chipped mug, eyes fixed on the horizon.

The notification sound from the Nova Ascension System chimed softly in his head.

[Prestige Update: +12 from overnight clicks.]

"Not bad," Ethan muttered. "Let's see how far this can take me."

He opened the System interface with a thought. The skill shop glowed temptingly, but he needed to be smart. He only had 57 Prestige Points.

Not enough for the really flashy upgrades.

He tapped into the Fame Tracker. A map appeared, highlighting districts where his name was trending. One neighborhood in particular was glowing.

"Looks like I've gone viral in the Eastblock. Probably thanks to that fight video someone uploaded."

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock.

Ethan opened the door to find a chubby guy in a sweat-drenched button-up shirt holding a paper bag. "Morning! Are you Ethan Cross?"

"Depends. Who's asking?"

"Name's Mike Carter. I'm an editor for FireVerse Publishing. We're interested in signing your work."

Ethan blinked. "Already? I only posted five chapters."

"And got over 200,000 views in two days. That's unheard of! Our readers are calling it the next big cult classic."

Mike handed him the contract. Ethan skimmed it.

Decent royalty split. Full creative control. Promotion perks.

"Alright," Ethan said, grabbing a pen. "I'll play along."

By the end of the week, Ethan's novel—Dragon Chronicles: Wrath of the Void King—was topping local charts. He now had over 120 Prestige Points.

He immediately spent 80 on the intermediate draw.

[Reward: Passive Skill – Iron Skin (Tier Blue)]

His body shimmered as the system modified his cellular structure. His skin felt like tempered steel beneath the surface.

He tested it by punching a wall. The plaster crumbled. His knuckles didn't even bruise.

"Oh, this is getting fun."

That night, Ethan sat down with Emily Hart—his cousin from this world—at a local noodle shop. She looked at him with cautious curiosity.

"You've changed," she said. "You used to be... well, kind of pathetic."

He smirked. "I had an epiphany."

"Are you involved with those gang people again? I heard rumors..."

"I'm doing my own thing now. Legit work. Writing, mostly."

Emily squinted at him. "Right. And people are just throwing money at your face for a couple chapters of a book?"

Ethan leaned forward. "In this world, fame is everything. Words are weapons."

She shook her head and smiled. "You sound like a villain in a drama. Just don't get yourself killed again."

He laughed, almost choking on his noodles.

If only she knew.

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