100x Cashback

The glow from the relic illuminated the dimly lit room, casting strange shadows that danced along the walls. Emir stood frozen, staring at the intricate carvings that had rearranged themselves into what now unmistakably looked like a map.

His heart raced as he stepped closer, the pulsing glow intensifying with every step. The lines and symbols on the relic seemed to shift subtly, as if alive. It was almost as if the artifact were guiding him.

"A map?" he muttered under his breath. "To where?"

He reached out, hesitant, and let his fingers trace the lines etched into the surface. As soon as his skin made contact, the glow surged, and a vision flashed before his eyes—a sprawling city, its architecture unlike anything he'd ever seen. Towers twisted toward the sky like living organisms, their surfaces shimmering with light.

Then it was gone, leaving him standing in silence, his heart pounding.

---

After a moment of stunned silence, Emir snapped back to reality. He grabbed his phone and began taking pictures of the map, determined to decipher its meaning. He knew this wasn't just a coincidence. The relic was trying to tell him something, and if there was one thing Emir excelled at, it was solving problems.

But he couldn't do it alone.

---

Introducing Kavi "The Conspiracy Nut"

Later that evening, Emir found himself in the dimly lit basement of a small café. Across from him sat Kavi, a self-proclaimed expert in all things bizarre. With his thick-rimmed glasses and perpetually disheveled hair, Kavi looked every bit the part.

"I'm telling you, man," Kavi said, leaning forward conspiratorially. "The government knows about these artifacts. They've been covering it up for years."

Emir resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Kavi had a flair for the dramatic, but he was also a genius when it came to ancient symbols and cryptic maps.

"I don't need a lecture on secret cabals," Emir said, sliding his phone across the table. "Just tell me what this is."

Kavi picked up the phone, his eyes widening as he studied the photo. "Whoa," he breathed. "Where did you find this?"

"That's not important," Emir replied. "What do the symbols mean?"

Kavi tilted his head, his fingers drumming on the table. "These are ancient coordinates," he said finally. "But they don't match any known map of Earth. If I didn't know better, I'd say…"

"Say what?" Emir pressed.

Kavi leaned back, a grin spreading across his face. "I'd say this map leads to somewhere that's… not of this world."

---

Emir left the café with more questions than answers. If the map didn't point to a location on Earth, where did it lead? And why had the relic chosen him?

Back in his penthouse, he opened the skill tree interface again, staring at the shimmering icons of locked abilities.

Skill Tree Unlock: Temporal Vision

Cost: 100,000,000 credits

The staggering price tag didn't deter him. If this power could help him glimpse the future, it might hold the key to deciphering the map—or at least staying ahead of whatever danger this newfound journey might bring.

---

Emir's Empire Expands

The following weeks were a whirlwind of activity. Emir poured his energy into his 9-to-5 job by day, maintaining his façade as a regular office worker. By night, he worked tirelessly to grow his empire, leveraging his cashback power to fund investments and acquisitions.

One evening, as he reviewed the progress of a new construction project—a luxury high-rise in the heart of the city—he couldn't help but smile. The building, dubbed The Apex, was just the beginning of his vision for the future.

---

Despite his growing wealth, Emir remained cautious. He kept his powers a secret, even as whispers of strange occurrences began to circulate.

One day, Fiona approached him in the office, her usual chipper self. "Have you heard the rumors?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"What rumors?" Emir replied, feigning disinterest.

"People are saying there's this guy who can make money out of thin air. They're calling him the 'Invisible Billionaire.'"

Emir chuckled, playing along. "Sounds like something out of a movie."

"Right?" Fiona said, laughing. "But imagine if it were real. What would you do if you had that kind of power?"

"I'd probably buy this company and fire half the management," Emir quipped, earning a burst of laughter from Fiona.

---

End of Chapter 8: The Glowing Map

Financial Summary at the End of Chapter 8:

Earnings from Cashback Power: 2,500,000 credits

Spending on Skill Tree Unlocks: None (saving for Temporal Vision)

Current Net Worth: 6,500,000 credits

---

As Emir inches closer to unlocking Temporal Vision, the relic begins to reveal more of its secrets. But with every step forward, the stakes grow higher. Who left the notebook? What is the true purpose of the map? And how long can Emir keep his powers a secret?

Stay tuned for the next chapter, where mysteries deepen, alliances are tested, and the first hints of an unseen enemy begin to surface.