Urban Plundering: I Corrupted The System!

The next few days blurred together, a mix of sweat, focus, and progress. Parker threw himself into everything—pushing his physique, sharpening his telekinesis, expanding his mind, and absorbing Ether like it was the air he breathed. By the third day, his efforts paid off. His power level had rose;

[Harmonic (Tier 2)

Description: The user's soul resonates with external forces, allowing for greater energy control.

Abilities: Enhanced combat instincts, basic weapon summoning!]

The notification from the system felt like validation, but the momentum slowed. Progress hit a wall, yet Parker didn't mind. He had other priorities now.

His bond with Tessa had deepened, shifting into something more than friendship. Lovers? No, not for him at least. Maybe something he couldn't explain.

They didn't label it, but their dynamic carried a warmth that spoke volumes. The system even confirmed it with a maxed-out affection meter: 100 points. That milestone came with a reward—100 random spins, not that Parker cared much.

Tessa's presence was something he hadn't known he needed. She was grounding, yet electric, her laughter and sharp wit like a balm to his restless mind. Together, they navigated this newfound connection, finding comfort in each other's company.

Meanwhile, Parker milked the system for every cashback opportunity it offered. One of the highlights? A makeover for the Speedtails. They no longer resembled the chaos-inducing machines that tore through the city days ago. With fresh paint jobs, custom mods, and legit plates, they were practically new cars.

The green Speedtail? That was Tessa's now, though Parker still had two toys to play with.

On the financial front, Parker's trades hit big. His Forex account swelled to $16,758,000, and he funneled it straight into buying crypto and stocks trading. The system rewarded him with a cashback bonus of $167,580,000. That didn't sit idle either.

He spent $99 million unlocking a skill that had been teasing him for days. Nothing else noteworthy popped up in the system shop, but it didn't bother him. Adding up everything, Parker's balance now stood at a staggering $200 million without mentioning his crypto portfolio!

Sitting back, he stared at the number. It didn't feel real, like staring at a slot machine's jackpot screen. His thoughts, though, weren't on the money. They were elsewhere, circling things he couldn't quite put into words.

The world, meanwhile, was moving on. New heroes popped up across the globe—India, China, America. But Parker found himself… disconnected. None of it mattered right now.

On the couch, Ere was curled up on Tessa's lap, her purring almost hypnotic as Parker leaned back, watching them.

"Can I take her with me?" Tessa asked suddenly, her fingers stroking Ere's fur.

As if on cue, the cat stretched lazily, then hopped off Tessa's lap and padded over to Parker, curling up by his side like she owned him.

Tessa pouted, crossing her arms. "Traitor."

Parker smirked, "There's your answer."

Tessa sighed, leaning back against the couch, her mood visibly shifting. The room felt heavier, the kind of silence that carried too much weight.

Her parents had called. The time had come for her to go back.

Parker didn't say it, but the storm inside him was undeniable. This wasn't just about Tessa leaving—it was the unraveling of the little bubble of peace they'd built together.

Tessa caught the shift in Parker's demeanor immediately. Without a word, she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the bedroom. Ere, perched lazily on the couch after Parker left, narrowed her amber eyes at their retreating backs. If cats could roll their eyes, she would've.

"Are they... lust demons or something?" Ere muttered under her breath, tail flicking in annoyance.

Minutes later, her feline ears were subjected to the loud, passionate echoes of Tessa's moans. Ere flattened her ears against her head, muttering to herself, "Why do I even stay here? This is animal abuse."

****

By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, Parker and Tessa stood in the parking lot. The air carried the bittersweet weight of goodbyes. Tessa, standing by the sleek green Speedtail, turned to him, her arms wrapping around his neck. Their lips met in a kiss that was slow, deliberate, like they were trying to freeze time.

Breaking away, she smiled, her eyes shimmering with a mix of mischief and tenderness. "I've got a surprise for you, Parker. Just wait for it, okay?" She bit her bottom lip lightly before adding, "Bye, I love you."

Before he could say anything, she slid into the car and sped off, the roar of the Speedtail's engine echoing through the lot.

Parker stood there for a moment, staring at the empty spot where her car had been. His thoughts spiraled into something he didn't quite know how to handle.

"How the hell did her parents raise someone like her?" he muttered, shaking his head as he turned back toward the building. Tessa was eighteen, barely an adult, but the way she carried herself? The way she talked, thought, and moved through life? She could rival any thirty-year-old.

He carried Ere in one arm as they headed back to the penthouse. The cat didn't complain this time, sensing the weight of his mood.

Once inside, the silence wrapped around him like an old, unwanted blanket. He set Ere down on the couch and leaned against the window, staring out at the city.

For the first time in forever, Parker felt really... alone unlike before he met Tessa.

He wasn't used to this. All his life, he'd been fine with loneliness, even embraced it. It had been his armor, his constant companion, the thing that kept him from breaking. But now, it gnawed at him in a way he didn't understand.

"This feeling…" he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

Ere stretched lazily on the couch, giving him a sidelong glance. "You're spiraling, boss."

"Shut up," he replied without heat.

The truth was, he will miss her. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut. It didn't make sense. They'd only spent a few days together. How could someone walk into his life, upend everything, and then leave him feeling this... empty?

He sighed, rubbing his face. "I'm not the man of steel after all," he muttered, almost to himself. "Even that guy had Lois Lane. So what does that make me?"

The biggest phase of his seventeen years he'd spent in isolation felt meaningless now. Tessa had waltzed into his life, breaking down walls he didn't even know existed. She'd made him see himself in ways he never dared to before.

"She lifted the damn veil," he said quietly, his voice laced with both frustration and gratitude. "Made me face all the shit I tried to bury. And now she's gone."

Ere hopped onto the windowsill beside him, her amber eyes glinting. "She'll be back," the cat said softly, surprising him with the rare show of empathy.

"Yeah," Parker said, though the hollow ache in his chest didn't ease. "She will."

But the question lingered: when?

The system didn't leave Parker much room to dwell on his thoughts.

****

A bit emotional... Yeah but we're still grounded to who we're!