Episode 1

"I'm sorry Aldo, you're just too good for me..."

Aldo was dumbfounded by his girlfriend's words, as she unexpectedly released his handhold with a sorrowful expression.

"It looks like we need to end our relationship right here, right now," she said, without giving Aldo a single glance, still stunned.

It took a moment for Aldo to snap out of his shock, "B-but why Alyssa? Why are you suddenly breaking up with us like this?"

Aldo was in disbelief, considering he and Alyssa had been dating for the past month, making promises of a bright future together - and yet, she was the one calling it quits now.

"Every time we're together, I keep thinking about how you're too good for someone as flawed as I am. I don't deserve to be by your side any longer..."

"But I don’t mind that, haven’t I always said I’d accept you just as you are? And you're not as bad as you make it out to be, honestly."

"Still..."

They debated in the deserted city street, freshly damp from a rain that had just ceased, while Aldo and Alyssa both wore scarves to ward off the night's chill.

Aldo wasn't prepared to lose Alyssa and continued to plead for her to stay at his side as his one and only girlfriend.

But despite Aldo's efforts to hold onto his love, the woman, on the contrary, desired to part ways with him without clear reason.

Until eventually, Aldo found he could no longer maintain his grip on this love...

"I'll be returning your gift," Alyssa said, removing her scarf and handing it to a still silent Aldo.

"May you find happiness elsewhere, without me," she continued before heading to the bus stop, leaving Aldo alone in the deserted street.

Aldo bit his lip in frustration, holding the returned scarf as a symbol of their parting.

Looking up, Aldo gazed at the star-filled dark sky. Just recently, they were both admiring the stars together, and now they had split.

No sob could be heard from Aldo while tears couldn't fall - his tears had long run dry after years of crying over similar matters.

"What’s so wrong with being a good person!"

Aldo cried out to the sky, venting the pent-up emotions accrued over the years.

It wasn't the first time Aldo was broken up with for being too nice, and it had happened repeatedly.

His relationships never lasted long, usually collapsing three weeks into the courtship, but this time had reached a month.

His relationship with Alyssa turned out to be his longest romance, though it, too, had failed.

"On second thought, my fate is indeed quite sad," mused Aldo with a bitter smile.

He wasn't born into wealth, his education wasn’t as extensive as others', but through sheer hard work, he managed to secure a job in the entertainment industry.

The salary he earned was just enough to get by in Jakarta, and Aldo could afford to offer Alyssa only one gift, a red scarf previously owned by his exes.

Though a sad boy, it was true Aldo had more than 100 ex-girlfriends, each leaving him with the same pain...

"Am I destined to be a bachelor for life?" Aldo wondered bitterly.

Now 27, by conventional standards, he should have been establishing a family, like peers his age, but ironically, he was still grappling with finding a life partner.

Aldo couldn’t even return to his hometown due to relatives constantly inquiring, "When will you marry?"

"How am I supposed to marry when I can’t even get past the trial phase with girlfriends!" Aldo exclaimed in frustration, finding his neighbors insufferable.

Aldo vented until he was out of breath, only for a strange voice suddenly to fill his head, shocking him.

[Confirming a suitable user for the system. Would you like to accept merger with the system?]

Aldo, startled, looked around and saw no one, just as the voice resonated again.

[You need not panic; the system is actually within you.]

*This can't be a hallucination\,* Aldo thought.

"What exactly are you, and how can you exist within me?" Aldo asked, somewhat perplexed.

[I am a system that will assist you in becoming a true man; you have been selected by the system because you are the most pitiable person in the world.]

"What do you know about my life?!" Aldo retorted angrily, acknowledging his sad state but resentful of others stating it so casually.

[I know all about your 157 heartbreaks and your use of adult magazines for pe-]

"STOP!! STOP!!! Don't say another word!" Aldo interrupted in panic; his face flush with embarrassment as his deepest secrets were nearly revealed.

[Are you now convinced by the system?]

For some reason, Aldo felt a smug tone from the system when it asked that question.

"Fine...as long as you don't divulge too much of my secrets..."

Resigned to the reality of the bizarre system within him, Aldo yearned to alter his sad destiny.

"In that case, I accept the system merger!" Aldo declared decisively, entrusting his fate to the system.

[A wise decision, you are now my master!]

[Initiating merger!]

[10%......30%.....60%......80%......99%.....100%]

[SUCCESSFUL]

"Is that it?"

Aldo was puzzled; he felt the same as before the system's merger, nothing special seemed to occur.

[Complete, Master.]

[Would you like to display the status window?]

*This just keeps getting more like a game\,* Aldo thought\, and consented to the system's suggestion.

A semi-transparent screen materialized before Aldo, displaying his various statuses:

...----------𝕾𝖞𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖒----------...

Name: Aldo 【☆】

Age: 27 years

Strength: 9

Endurance: 5

Agility: 5

Intelligence: 18

Charisma: 21

Special Abilities: 【None】

System Points: 100

Ability Points: 100

[Lucky Spin] [Inventory]

...----------𝕾𝖞𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖒----------...

"Such a dismal status..." Aldo mused with a wry smile.

His status was unremarkable except for above-average intelligence. Although bright, he hadn’t continued his education due to financial issues.

Luckily, a kind soul offered him a job at an entertainment company, and Aldo had managed to survive there to date.

"System, what's the significance of the star next to my name?"

[It denotes your statistics ranking; the higher your stats, the more stars you will receive. Essentially, it’s similar to a leveling system in video games.]

Aldo nodded in understanding before inquiring about the System and Ability Points.

The system explained.

[System Points are used to spin the lucky wheel, which offers a variety of special abilities and vital items as prizes, while Ability Points are used to upgrade your abilities in time.]

"Perhaps with this, my unlucky bachelorhood at 27 will finally change..." Aldo mused, an ember of hope reignited.

***This work has been signed with NovelToon, and piracy such as reprinting without permission is strictly prohibited.***

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***