My Scumbag System

Chapter 558: An Ally Worth Armies

I woke up to frost spreading across Natalia’s sheets.

Not her fault. The Cryo-Lich Ring had a habit of leaking when she dreamed, turning our bed into a winter wonderland. Her breath came out in white puffs against my collarbone. The woman could freeze a lake by accident and still look like a goddess doing it.

My internal clock said 6:47 AM. The System’s notification panel hovered at the edge of my vision, pulsing with that obnoxious blue light that meant something wanted my attention. I dismissed it without reading. Whatever cosmic bullshit awaited could wait until after coffee.

Natalia stirred. Her purple hair spilled across the pillow like spilled wine. The white streaks caught the early morning light filtering through her curtains. She opened one eye and fixed me with a stare that could cut glass.

"You’re thinking too loud."

"Good morning to you too, princess."

"Don’t call me princess. I have a name."

"Queen, then."

She made a sound somewhere between approval and annoyance. Her leg shifted against mine under the covers. The movement sent heat straight through my nervous system despite the arctic microclimate she’d created around us.

Natalia propped herself up on one elbow. The sheets slipped. I gained a perfect view of her bare shoulder, the curve of her neck, the faint marks I’d left on her collarbone the night before. She caught me looking and smirked.

"Distracted already?"

"Always."

Her fingers traced lazy patterns on my chest. The Ring left cold trails on my skin. She was mapping old scars with scientific interest, cataloging damage like a field medic preparing a report.

"You have too many of these."

"Occupational hazard."

"The burn marks are new."

"From the Necropolis. When that beam tried to turn me into barbecue."

Her touch gentled over the pink scar tissue. The expression on her face shifted from clinical to something softer. Dangerous territory. Natalia had exactly two modes: ice queen and vulnerable girl. The second one could stop my heart.

"I still have nightmares about that moment."

"Yeah?"

"You jumped in front of it. Without hesitation. Without thinking. You were going to die for me."

"Worked out fine."

"That’s not the point."

Her hand pressed flat against my sternum. The Cryo-Lich Ring pulsed. Ice crystals formed on the sheets around us.

"Promise me something."

"Depends what it is."

"Today. The individual events. Don’t throw yourself into harm’s way for the sake of drama. Win smart, not heroic."

I sat up. The movement put us face to face, close enough that I could count the flecks of silver in her purple eyes. Close enough to smell the mint toothpaste and ozone scent that clung to her skin.

"I promise to win."

"That’s not what I asked."

"It’s what you’re getting."

She grabbed my face with both hands. Her palms were cold. Her grip was firm enough to leave fingerprints.

"Satori Nakano, if you die doing something stupid because it looks cool on camera, I will resurrect you myself just so I can kill you again."

"Noted."

"I’m serious."

"I know you are. That’s what makes it terrifying."

The System notification flared brighter. A quest update, probably. Or Nike demanding attention. Or Apollo selling something I didn’t need. The cosmic peanut gallery never learned when to shut up.

I kissed Natalia instead of checking it. She melted into the contact like she always did, her body pressing closer, her hands sliding from my face to my shoulders. The frost on the sheets cracked as the temperature shifted.

Someone pounded on the door.

"YO, SATORI! BREAKFAST IN TEN MINUTES!"

Jaime’s voice carried through the wood like a megaphone, rattling the hinges with its sheer volume. The man had absolutely no concept of indoor volume or appropriate timing. For someone who could probably bench press a small car, his understanding of subtlety was inversely proportional to his muscle mass.

Natalia pulled back from our embrace with a sigh that carried equal parts reluctance and resignation. The warmth of her body retreated, leaving cold air in its wake. "Reality calls."

"Reality can wait five more minutes." I tried to pull her back, but she pressed a palm against my chest, firm but not unkind.

"The tournament committee can’t. Neither can your fan club, apparently."

"My what now?"

She gestured toward the window with one hand while the other remained on my chest, keeping me at bay. I followed her gaze and felt my stomach drop like I’d just stepped off a cliff. The harbor was packed—absolutely swarming with activity. Not just with the usual ferry traffic and Academy support vessels, but with pleasure boats, news crews with satellite dishes, and what looked like half of New Vein City trying to get a closer look at the island. The water was so cluttered with vessels that it resembled a floating parking lot more than open ocean.

"Congratulations, Mr. Nakano. You’re officially famous now." free𝑤ebnovel.com

I stared at the chaos below, watching camera drones zip between boats like mechanical mosquitoes. Somewhere down there, people were probably selling t-shirts with my face on them.

"Fantastic. Absolutely fucking fantastic."

The notification panel pulsed again. This time I opened it just to make it stop.

URGENT: DIVINE QUEST UPDATE

From: Nike, Goddess of Victory

Subject: Today’s Events - Final Phase

Satori,

The Audience is in a frenzy. Betting pools have reached astronomical levels. Your kiss with Natalia broke several viewing records. Apollo is beside himself with glee.

Today’s individual events represent the culmination of everything we’ve built. Place in the top three of at least four events to satisfy the original terms. However, the stakes have evolved.

NEW OBJECTIVE: Dominate. Don’t just place - WIN. The story demands a king, not a participant.

Rewards for total victory:

5000 Schema Points

Legendary Gacha Ticket ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

Divine Favor Token (Emergency Use)

[CLASSIFIED UNTIL COMPLETION]

Failure consequences remain... unpleasant.

Show them why they should fear the Stray Dog.

-Nike

P.S. - Reyna Cabana’s sister has arrived on the island. Veronica is in the VIP section. Play this correctly and you gain an ally worth armies. Play it wrong and you gain an enemy who owns armies.

The panel vanished. I stared at the space where it had been, processing the implications. Veronica Cabana. The woman who built Olympus Rising from nothing and turned her sister into a global icon. Here. Watching.

"What did the System want?"

Natalia’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. She was already out of bed, wrapping herself in a robe with fluid efficiency. The sight of her moving around her room in silk that barely covered her thighs was enough to short-circuit higher brain functions.

"Nike being dramatic. Usual cosmic bullshit."

"Specific cosmic bullshit?"

"Win everything today or face unpleasant consequences."

"That’s not ominous at all."