Chapter 47 - I Finally Paid My Mom’s Rent
Riverside spent three days cleaning up.
The official story involved electrical infrastructure, illegal chemicals, and a small earthquake.
The unofficial story involved a lot more giant centipedes.
The tournament organizers still owed prize money.
Because the final had technically ended with Lucas unable to continue and Eli still conscious, the committee awarded Eli first place.
Twenty-five thousand dollars.
After taxes, fees, and medical expenses, it became less magical.
Still life-changing.
Eli paid three months of his mom’s rent in advance.
He paid off her credit card.
He bought groceries that were not instant noodles.
His mother stared at the receipt.
“Where did you get this money?”
“Tournament.”
“What tournament?”
“College thing.”
“Did you gamble?”
“No.”
“Did you fight?”
Eli hesitated.
His mother narrowed her eyes.
“Eli.”
“Lightly.”
She hit him with a dish towel.
The system gave no reward.
It felt better than most quests anyway.
At school, Professor Bell posted final grades.
Eli had climbed from a 1.8 GPA to a 2.9.
Not genius.
Not miraculous.
Real improvement.
Trevor returned to class under medical monitoring.
He sat beside Eli.
“Don’t make this weird.”
“I wasn’t going to.”
“I’m saying thanks.”
“That made it weird.”
Maya dropped a transfer application on Eli’s desk.
Riverside University had opened a cultivator scholarship.
His system chimed.
[NEW LIFE PATH AVAILABLE.]
May you like
For once, the future did not look like a punishment.
