The Power Is On His Side

Leonidas slowly opened his eyes, the sterile white ceiling above him coming into focus. The harsh light of the hospital room stung his eyes, and for a moment, he was disoriented, unsure of where he was or how he had gotten there.

His body ached all over, bruises and cuts made him hard to move. He winced, trying to sit up in the hospital bed. What happened last night? he thought. Memories of the alley, the beating, and that strange system flickered through his mind.

“The system…” he whispered. He remembered the gun, the money, the screen that had appeared out of nowhere. But was it real? Maybe that was just his hallucination after craving for help on the verge of death, but if that was just a hallucination, how could he run from Marcus and his friends when his hands still so vividly left the trace around Leonidas' neck?

Then it hit him—Alex. His brother! He had to make sure Alex was okay. Ignoring the pain coursing through his body, Leonidas ripped the IV needle out of his arm and staggered to his feet.

“Sir, you shouldn’t be moving yet!” A nurse was checking on him, rushed over him when she saw Leonidas moving, her voice full of concern.

“I’m fine,” Leonidas muttered, his voice shaky. “I need to see my brother. Where is Alex?”

The nurse hesitated but eventually relented, pointing him down the hallway. “The kid patient with lung treatment; Room 203. But you really should—”

“Did I bring something with me here? Where did you save it?” Leonidas thought about the money after Alex. After he fainted, he didn't care about anything around him, neither about his money.

“Some people brought you here and after reporting about the gun to the police, police said that there was nothing within you except the gun.”

Leonidas froze. His heart sank as he realized Marcus and the others taking the money. He had nothing left to pay for Alex’s surgery. Panic surged through him. Now how could he met Alex’s doctor for asking help?

“No… my money, they stole it. I can’t let this happen.” His voice cracked as desperation clawed at his chest. He was about to cry, and the nurse seemed sorry to hear that.

But then, Leonidas looked at the screen before his eyes; the thing he ignored since he was busy thinking about his sorrow.

That it was! The system.

“Do you see this?” Leonidas asked the nurse, she said with wonder face.

“What do you see, sir? Is there’s something before your eyes?”

Now Leonidas realized that he was the only one who could see the system operations. No wonder about it, he was the user—the owner of something called Never No Dollar.

[Warning! User’s urgency detected!]

[Name : Alex]

[Status : User’s brother]

[Had been hospitalized since last night and had a surgery cost to pay soon]

[Do you want to use the balance to pay your brother’s surgery cost?”

His hands trembling. As soon as the nurse went out, he pulled out his phone and opened his banking app. His heart nearly stopped when he saw the balance.

[$498.000]

[Latest transaction: colt python handgun - $2000]

He blinked, staring at the number in disbelief. “It’s real… It’s really there.” Leonidas almost couldn't close his mouth for his shock. The relief was overwhelming him, but Alex's matter was hitting him again and he quickly ran to the administration to made the payment.

What a shock! He really could use the money to buy the best treatment for his brother.

***

Hours later, Leonidas sat in the waiting area, staring blankly at the floor. Close to him was the door of the operating room, a surgery was performing inside to save Alex's life. Leonidas was still in his hospital pajama, treated body and questions inside his head. Something that helped him last night was really a system, literally a system. But what was it? How does it work?

A soft chime echoed in his head, and the glowing screen still visible before him.

[Welcome, user. Never No Dollar System is here to assist you.]

Leonidas leaned forward, rubbing his temples. “What… what are you? How do you work?”

The screen flickered for a moment, and a robotic, almost soothing voice answered in his mind.

[I am the Never No Dollar System, designed to provide wealth and financial freedom to the user by some task and reward. Through transactions, the user can purchase goods, services, or experiences that will aid in achieving personal goals. The system is funded through an unknown source, which is continuously replenished.]

Leonidas frowned. “Unknown source? What does that even mean?”

[Details of the source are not disclosed. The system is designed to benefit the user without revealing its origins.]

He leaned back, processing the information. “So… I can buy anything? Like what happened last night with the gun?”

[Correct. Anything within the user’s balance can be purchased instantly and materialized in the user’s vicinity. Transactions can be made at any time.]

Leonidas’ mind whirled with possibilities. “Can others see you? Hear you?”

[No. Only the user can interact with the system.]

He exhaled slowly, trying to wrap his head around the idea. A system that gave him unlimited money, the ability to buy anything he wanted. It was almost too good to be true.

“I could… change my life with this,” he muttered to himself, staring at the screen. The thought was intoxicating, but before he could dwell on it, the door to the waiting area swung open.

Derek strolled in with his friends, Marcus and Tobby, right behind him. They were all smiles, but Leonidas could see the malice behind their eyes.

“Leo!” Derek called out, his voice dripping with fake friendliness. “Man, I heard about your brother. Tough break. But hey, looks like you managed to scrape together enough cash, huh?”

Leonidas stayed seated, watching them approach. His heart pounded, but something was different this time. He didn’t feel afraid. Not anymore. He felt the hatred living in his heart when he saw Marcus, the one who made Alex almost lose his life.

Marcus leaned in, his voice low. “I heard that the police will come to interrogate you about last night. I want to know about what you're going to say to them....”

Tobby snickered from behind, arms crossed. "Better be wise about what you say, we won’t any trouble."

Leonidas’ eyes narrowed as he looked at Marcus, the memory of their attack still fresh. His body ached from the beating, but something had changed within him. The system was his now. He had power. Real power.

Derek stepped closer, towering over Leonidas. “We're all friends here, right? Just make sure you don't talk to much since you seems need to get a total rest. Shit, I should've been there last night, maybe I could be a help. Ha ha.”

For a moment, Leonidas didn’t say anything. He glanced at the system screen, still hovering in the air, visible only to him. We’ll see who’s powerless now, he thought.

“You won’t say anything about me to them, right?” Marcus asked.

Then, without flinching, Leonidas looked up at Derek and his friends, his voice calm but filled with quiet defiance.

“What if I say no?”

The question hung in the air, thick with tension, and Derek’s smug smile faltered, uncertainty flickering in his dark eyes.