Richard was startled by the sudden screech of a speeding black van near him. Confused, he turned to know why or what happened, only to see masked thugs armed with crowbars and steel bats jumping down from the van. Richard didn't need a soothsayer to tell him that they were here to make trouble for him, or worse.

He bolted immediately without even asking a question. They chased after him. The Valerian Estate where the Warren Family Mansion was located was supposed to be security tight, but Richard couldn't find a single security personnel around. He didn't think much of it and ran faster. He turned towards a neighborhood he believed he could lose his pursuers.. but fate seemed to have abandoned him as he didn't expect the black van in front of him. It seemed that while the thugs chased after him, the driver had circled around to block his only escape route.

Richard skidded to a halt. The thugs chasing him were no longer in a hurry, they were now casually walking towards him, while the driver had alighted the van and walked towards him with a crowbar.

"Nowhere else to run? Little doggy can't escape anymore?" A rough voice said. Richard turned to the voice and saw it belonged to one of the thugs that was previously chasing him. That burly thug seemed to be the leader.

"Who are you and why are you here? I haven't done anything to you!" Richard attempted to reason with them.

"Little doggy, it's not us that you wronged, not really.." the man said with a smile and then stopped a few feet away from Richard, meanwhile the other thugs formed a circle around Richard, cutting off any escape plan he might be hatching. Richard raised a brow in confusion.. he was sure he hadn't offended anyone at all.. not like he had the guts to do so.

"Looks like your luck isn't really that good doggy. The boss doesn't want you around to disrupt his plans anymore." The thug leader said.

"Listen, I'm sure we can talk things out, I don't even know who this boss of yours is, I'm a nobody, really." Richard said while doing his best to keep his voice steady, but in truth he was absolutely terrified. The tone of that thug indicated that he was to be killed..

"The young master's orders were very specific; you are to be beaten to death.. not stabbed, not shot, but beaten to death." The thug said with an evil smirk. "You really lucked out. Sucks to be you doggy. You can only blame yourself for biting off more than you can chew."

Richard knew then that these thugs were intent on killing him. Knowing that there will be no help coming, Richard decided to break away from this circle.. perhaps if he can take down the leader and make a break for it back to the Warren Family Mansion, he will be safe.

Richard made a dash for the leader without a second thought, his right hand balled in a fist.. he was so close, but the thug leader was faster, way faster..

BAM!

Richard vision darkened for a moment as pain exploded in his head.. he fell down to the hard cold floor. Pain exploded all over his body as the thugs pounced on him.. hitting him with their steel baton and crowbars. Richard cried out for help, asked them to stop but they didn't. The thug leader merely laughed.

Richard wished for the pain to stop, prayed for death.. as his consciousness was slipping, he felt at peace.. finally, he could experience some peace and quiet. But then his mind drifted to Diane.

'If only he was wealthy and powerful! Why? Why was fate cruel to him!? Why was wealth elusive to him!? Why couldn't he be rich as others!?. If there's a second chance at life, I will never be poor, I will do whatever it takes to become the most powerful man.' And with that thought, Richard died.

*

In a lonely alley of the Valerian Estate, a lifeless body of a certain young man laid there. There was no sign of life, no heartbeat nor movement. That body has been there for almost an hour. His once plain casual clothes were now bloodied and muddy. His black hair were matted with thick blood and bit of brain mucus from the bursted up skull. Nevertheless, even in that deathly state, a miracle was happening. Even though by logic he was dead, and his heart had stopped circulating blood, his mind however was still working, or rather his subconscious mind was undergoing changes.

«Data collection complete. Host matches the requirement of the system. Host's current status: Deceased. Injecting revitalization serum to Host. Host current status: critical. Injecting advanced healing serum to Host. Host current status: Salvageable. System booting in progress. Time required: One hour thirty minutes.»

DUDUM! DUDUM! DUDUM!

The heart of the lifeless body began beating once more, color began to return to his once pale face. His wounds began healing at a fast pace that will make any doctor drop his jaw. His fingers began twitching as life force began coursing through his veins once again.. and then.. his eyes finally opened.

"GODDAM!" He shouted as he sprang up in a sitting position. "Ugh! I feel like I've had a fight with a freight train." He felt his hands were wet and squishy, only then did he notice the bloodstains all around him, and even on him. He remembered being beaten.. to death. Richard immediately ran his hands all over his body.. "What's going on? How come I'm not dead, and there's not even a single scar on me. What the hell just happened!? It certainly wasn't a dream as I can very well see the bloodstains on me."

«System booting in progress.

98%..

99%..

100%..»

«Ding!

Welcome Host Richard Tucker, to the Trillionaire System. I will be your personal assistant and aid you in your journey to acquire wealth, becoming the very first Trillionaire of your generation.»

"Nani!???"

Richard stared at the words on the holographic panel in front of him. He could not make sense of what was happening to him right now.

"Hahahahahaha! I get it, those thugs must have hit me so hard that I'm seeing things right now." As he was about to stand up, the words and the holographic panel dissolved as if they were never there.

"Yep! I knew I was hallucinating." Richard stood up, he could see his clothes didn't look anything presentable. He couldn't walk around the street of the estate looking like he committed a genocide.

«Ding!

System Integration Complete.»

The holographic panel was back again. "Seriously!?"

«Startup package awarded.

Bonding reward (Lvl 1): For every hour Host has the Trillionaire System, $500 will be awarded to host.»

Richard was stunned. He was thinking of taking off his bloodied T-shirt and then jog back to the Warren mansion, but now, he's considering staying put, for at least an hour.

"Not like I've got anything to lose. Might as well check if this system of a thing is real, or simply something my banged up brain conjured."

ONE HOUR LATER!

Richard had found a clean place to sit. He had also taken off the bloodied T-shirt as it had begun to stink.

Just then, his phone vibrated. Richard reached his pocket and brought out his outdated Apple iPhone. On the screen was a message he was waiting for but still didn't believe it will come.

'Credit Alert:

United Bank of Alvarez:

$500 has been transferred to your account.

Sender: xxxxxxxxx'

"Hehehehe. Now this is something I never expected to see." Richard chuckled. There was no way he won't believe in the system stuff now. Seeing the transfer alert on his phone, he knew it was real.

"Five hundred dollars for every hour, huh?" Richard muttered and did the math.. "That's twelve grand everyday!!!" Richard's eyes went as wide as a Martian saucer, "HOLY FRIGGIN COW! In a month!!!?? That's $360,000! And that's just for level one.. what happens when it levels up!" A crazy grin found its way to his lips. He was a pauper no more.. but then his mind went back to what had happened earlier. He was targeted because he was poor and without backing.. he was a nobody.. and worse he didn't even know who sent those thugs.

"Someone certainly wants me death for some reason, and I haven't offended anyone. Hmm, for the meantime, no one must know of what I posses, not even Diane." Richard muttered, "Well, first things first, let me get a clean set of clothes."

*

Richard walked into a cafe. He had left the Valerian Estate and decided to get some coffee and clear his head a bit. He had bought a plain T-shirt at a Mall inside the Estate.. but just like the Estate itself, the commodities in the mall were expensive.. the cheapest was $500. Having about $750 in his account, Richard had bought the cheapest T-shirt for $500. Now in a clean plain T-shirt and a dirtied trouser, Richard walked into a cafe a few minutes walk from the estate.

"What can I get you, Sir?" A sweet voice asked him. The waitress smiled at him, but he could see the smile wasn't genuine, just a mask. Not like he was complaining, his dressing gave off the impression of a homeless man.

"Cappuccino, and Brownies." Richard replied. The lady's smile didn't fade until she turned and went to get his order.

Just then, a lady in her early twenties walked in. The chiming of the bell at the door drew Richard's attention, but the moment he saw the face of the lady he walked in, he wished he hadn't looked up.

"Oh, if it isn't Richard Tucker. Didn't fancy seeing you here." The lady spoke, but her tone was laced with disdain. "Are you running an errand for your inlaws or you're here on break?" She then chuckled at her own words.

"Hello Jenna." Richard greeted her, the lack of enthusiasm in his voice made it apparent he didn't want her near him.. but she still took a seat at his table and sat in front of him.

Jenna Parker, Richard's former college classmate, and crush. She had once told him back in college, that unless he had a million dollar in his account before graduation, she will never accept him as her boyfriend. When the scandal between Richard and Diane was released, she was the one who spread the news on the school forum, which made Richard to leave the group.. and now she was here of all places.

"Found a job yet?" She asked with feigned concern on her face. Richard didn't respond.

"Honestly, I didn't know I'll meet you here.. will you mind buying me a cup of coffee, for old time sake." Her eyes fluttered and her face had a pleading expression, but Richard didn't fall for it. She knew he was penniless.

"Oh my!" She softly exclaimed with feigned surprised. "Oh goodness me! I forgot you have no money on you! My bad." She smiled.

Richard simply stared at her with a bored expression on his face, 'Great, I have just returned from a physical death, and now I'm about to be psychologically murdered.. hopefully I get another system.'

Just then, the waitress brought the cup of cappuccino and a plate of brownies to Richard. Richard thanked her and quietly sipped his cappuccino.

"Tsk! A cup of cappuccino and brownies, I can't believe this is what you've been reduced to. Its a good thing I didn't accept you then, if I did, who knew what part of the slums I'd have found myself living in by now." She gestured to the waitress to come.

"Latte, single-origin coffee, and a gourmet sandwich." Jenna said an air of authority. The waitress flashed a genuine smile and scurried off to get the order. Her attitude inflated Jenna's ego, and she turned back to Richard who quietly munching on the brownie.

"Unlike your penniless self, I happen earn annual salary of $60,000." Jenna said with pride.

Richard almost burst out laughing.. did she just say annual? That's a fraction of what he now makes monthly. Right then his phone vibrated again, Richard knew the system had sent him another $500. Richard checked the time and realized it was getting late. He should get back to the mansion.

"My birthday is in a week from now. If you do show up, I will consider filling your belly, but in return you'll serve my guests." She said as if she was certain Richard will be at her birthday party. She opened her purse, took a piece of paper and pen and scribbled on the paper, then slid it towards Richard.

"That's my address, I'll have food ready for you, and perhaps a few hundred dollars, but you'll get it only after the party is over." She didn't even look up at Richard while saying this, but rather went back to her sandwich.

Richard didn't even glance at the paper, he simply stood up, walked to the counter and made a transfer to pay for the coffee and brownies, then walked out of the cafe. To him, Jenna no longer mattered, she was now beneath him, just as the Richardsons will soon be beneath him.

A yellow cab stopped at the Estate gate. Since it wasn't registered in the Estate security system, it couldn't be allowed in. Richard alighted and paid his fare, and then decided to walk back to the Warren mansion. The holographic panel had been blinking, it was flashing the words; «Host stat available.»

Richard decided to check it out. He gave a mental command to the system to show him his stats.

«Ding!

Host's Status Window.

Name: Richard Tucker

Race: Human

Age: Twenty four

Strength: 14

Agility: 16

Stamina: 20

Perception: 20

Charm: 15 (appearance, clothes, spirit, etc are closely related)

Skill: None available

Knowledge: Business Management

Funds: $1,090 (All funds are from reasonable and legal sources. There is no need to worry about fraud acts)

System: Trillionaire System

System level: Level one»

He reached the mansion in no time, Just as he was about to press the doorbell, he heard hearty laughter coming from inside the house. He stopped and listened intently. He knew there was no celebration plans before he left the house, so what exactly was happening?

"Young master Brian, since you're so sincere about Diane, I'm certain we can work something out. I always knew you were to be my perfect son-in-law."

Richard was stunned. He was extremely certain that voice belonged to none other than Kathleen Warren, his mother-in-law.

'Just what the heck is going on?' Richard thought to himself.. but then another round of laughter, but this time from a single person..

"Madam Warren, don't be too formal and polite, after all, we will soon be family, why don't you just call me by my name?"

Richard's knee almost buckled under him. He knew that voice.. in fact, he had committed that voice into his very soul.. that voice belonged to none other than Brian Lawrence, the very reason his life and that of Diane was in shambles.. what in the world was he doing here.

Richard wanted to storm into the house, but somehow his guts told him to stay quiet and listen more.

"Of course, what a gentleman you are. Oh my dear daughter Diane is so lucky to have met you. You two will make a very fine couple." Kathleen's voice was heard.

Sigh! "I really wish it will be so.. but, we both know about Diane's husband.." his voice trailed, reminding everyone that Diane was still married and his hands were tied.

"You mean that orphan piece of trash? He's not worth being called her husband, he's nothing but this family's house boy, and we've made sure he's aware of that. I assure you a divorce can be handled and I will personally kick him out of this house myself." Kathleen said. Her voice was laced with disdain and disgust, as if the very mention of Richard was same as swallowing a bug. "Don't worry, in no time, my son-in-law will be none other than you." Her voice returned to it's honeyed tone.

Hearing this, Richard could bear it no more. He wasn't sure if Diane was in there, but from what he heard, it didn't seem like her opinion mattered anymore.

DING DONG!! He pressed the doorbell.

"That must be Diane right now." Kathleen's voice was enthusiastic, but it also confirmed Richard's earlier assumption that Diane wasn't around.

Having settled her daughter's marriage with the son of a wealthy family, Kathleen was in a very good mood, and so she opened the door in glee, perhaps hoping to see her daughter.. however her expression dramatically changed as soon as she saw who was at the door.

"You! What are you doing here!? Didn't I say you're sleeping outside? So why are you here and not in a makeshift shelter somewhere." Kathleen looked extremely furious right now.

"I thought Diane will be lonely, so I came back home Mother." Richard replied, he did his best to suppress the rising anger in his chest.

"How could you have the cheek to return you good-for-nothing. And it's Mrs Warren to you fool, don't you dare act close to me as if we're family. Didn't your deceased mother teach you any manners at all?" Kathleen was basically shouting now. She felt so furious as she knew Richard's presence now will disrupt everything.

Meanwhile Richard was almost near explosion point. Kathleen had basically insulted his dead mother. He shut his mouth and glared at her. If looks could kill, Kathleen would've been sliced a million pieces.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Do you want to kill me too?" She shouted at him and walked closer to him, as if daring him to hit her. "You're such a bundle of bad luck.. you just had to come and mess things up."

"Who's out there!?" Another voice called out. Richard knew it was his father-in-law, Gerald Warren. He walked out, but didn't have much of a reaction when he saw Richard.

"Well, why are you standing out there, come in, we have an important guest, hurry up and go serve him." Gerald spoke in an authoritative tone.

Kathleen harrumphed and walked back inside, behind him was her husband Gerald, and then Richard followed them.

When Richard entered the house, he was stomped, for one, the living room seemed to be packed with no less than ten persons, and he recognized them as the Warren's relatives.

'What the heck is happening!? Were they planning all these today!? Was that the reason Kathleen sent me out of the house and insisted I sleep outside?' Richard thought to himself, and then he turned to the most eye catching person who was dressed in an expensive blue suit.. Brian Lawrence.

'Was he the young master the thugs mentioned? Wait! Was this the plan all along? To kill me so he could successfully get married to Diane!?' the more Richard thought about it the more his blood boiled.

"Mister Lawrence, I don't think my wife will be happy to see you when she returns, I think it's best you get going now." Richard spoke out before he could even stop himself. The words rolled out of his mouth and his cold expression solidified the fact that he meant what he said. The room became pin drop silent.