NOVEL NEXT Chapter 128: System Level 3
The sunlight spilled softly through the blinds as Dayo slipped on his tracksuit and went out for his early morning jog.
The air was cool, quiet — the kind that carried calm before the storm.
By the time he got back, sweat clung to his shirt. He showered, threw on a hoodie, and was about to grab breakfast when his phone buzzed on the table — Min-Jae.
He smiled and picked it up.
"Yo, my main G himself. What's up, superstar?" Dayo teased.
"Superstar?" Min-Jae laughed from the other end. "I'm supposed to be telling you that! You didn't even let us breathe with your album and the news everywhere."
Dayo chuckled. "Come on, that's old news already."
"Yeah, right," Min-Jae said, snorting. "Anyway, hope you're coming tomorrow, right? Don't tell me you're skipping out on me."
Dayo laughed. "How could I miss your big day? I know how important this is to you — and you have to win. Otherwise, all your bragging will be for nothing."
Min-Jae groaned dramatically. "Bragging? Dude, I've been working my ass off. You'd better cheer loud when they announce my name."
"Of course," Dayo said, leaning on the table. "You know I'll be the loudest one there."
A playful voice chimed in from the background — Emily.
"Loudest? Dayo, you'll probably distract the judges again like last time. Just sit still, okay?"
Dayo laughed. "Emily, I'm just saying — if Min-Jae starts losing, I have to do something dramatic to get the spotlight back on him."
Then another voice — Misha.
"Please. You just love attention. You're physically incapable of blending in."
Dayo grinned. "That's called charisma, thank you."
The four of them burst into laughter, the kind of easy warmth that made him forget everything for a moment.
"Anyway," Min-Jae said, his voice softening, "thanks for showing up for us, bro. It really means a lot. We know how you left wasn't exactly pleasant… so the fact that you're coming back means more than you think."
Dayo smiled faintly. "Do you want to make me cry? Come on, Min-Jae. You know you'd do the same for me. Alright — I'll be there soon. And all of you, perform your best. May the best man or woman win."
"Yeah, yeah," Min-Jae replied. "Big man, don't forget — we still remember you before you turned into a world record–breaking alien."
"Funny," Dayo muttered with a grin. "Alright, see you soon."
He hung up, shaking his head, still smiling. For a moment, he just stood there in silence.
Then it hit him — right, the system notification.
The system had sent him one right after the album release, but between interviews, meetings, and exhaustion, he'd never checked it.
He sighed. "Alright," he muttered. "Let's see what you've got for me."
A faint chime echoed in his mind — a sound only he could hear.
A translucent blue screen blinked to life before him.
---
DING!
> [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Achievement Unlocked: First Album Released
→ Reward: System Upgrade to Level 3
Achievement Unlocked: Record Breaker — Most Albums Sold in a Week
→ Reward: Trend Insight has evolved into Market Resonance
→ +1 Random Stat
→ +1 Singing Stat
---
Dayo blinked. "Level 3? No way. YESSS!"
Then another chime followed.
DING!
> Upgrade complete. New protocols integrated.
---
SYSTEM LEVEL 3 — FEATURES UNLOCKED
1. Skill Integration Protocol
Everyday life skills can now be recorded, tracked, and enhanced.
Cooking, combat, photography, and other practical talents can now develop into formal skill trees.
> Example: Repeatedly cooking meals → [Cooking] skill added (Rank: S+)
Each skill contributes to overall performance potential.
---
2. Emotional Transduction
Converts emotional energy into artistic performance enhancement.
Allows the user to channel real-time emotions — personal or environmental — into voice, melody, or compositional strength.
> Emotional states are now quantifiable.
Emotional Synergy: High → +Performance Boost / Stage Aura.
Example: Dayo can now compose or sing emotion-based music that subconsciously resonates with listeners — songs that make people cry, laugh, or feel calm without knowing why.
---
3. Hypersonic Synthesis
The ability to perceive sound frequencies beyond human hearing.
When activated, the user can see soundwaves around them — instruments, voices, air pressure — and adjust or recreate them perfectly.
Practical Effects:
Instantly tune, remix, or recreate any sound he hears.
Detect manipulation in audio or uncover fake mixes (anti-sabotage).
Merge two conflicting sounds to form entirely new tones or genres.
---
Dayo stared at the glowing text. "You've got to be kidding me."
He scrolled back to one section — the evolved skill.
Trend Insight → Market Resonance.
He opened the window.
---
[Skill: Market Resonance]
Type: Analytical / Strategic
Description: An evolved form of Trend Insight.
Analyzes real-time industry data — market trends, audience sentiment, media reach, and potential creative impact.
Predicts the success trajectory of songs, videos, and other releases while suggesting the best timing for maximum resonance.
> Perk: Displays estimated global sales, streaming numbers, and regional response metrics in real time.
---
Dayo exhaled slowly, eyes wide. "Holy… this is insane."
Before his eyes, the room dimmed as a floating holographic map came alive — continents glowing in varying colors.
The United States shimmered gold, Europe rippled in blue, Asia pulsed red — each hue representing live market resonance data.
He could see the numbers — not just current sales, but projections, audience interest curves, and regional influence zones.
"Now this…" he whispered, a grin stretching across his face, "is power."
The system had given him exactly what he needed.
He had suspected that the sales numbers were tampered with — and now, he had a way to confirm it.
Every spike, every dip, every manipulated statistic — all visible at a glance.
And even better, Market Resonance could predict future performance — potential sales, streams, chart longevity, and even virality probability.
Then another notification blinked.
> Singing Level: A → A+
He took a slow breath, then smiled.
He could feel it — the difference. His voice felt lighter, smoother. His range, more flexible. It was like something deep inside him had just been sharpened and tuned.
He closed the holographic screen and muttered, "Alright, I'll check the rest later. For now, let's get to the label."
He grabbed his keys, slung his jacket over his shoulder, and left the apartment.
---
The next morning arrived quickly.
The streets buzzed with weekend rhythm — chatter, traffic, and music drifting from distant speakers.
As Dayo stepped outside, his phone buzzed again.
A message from Min-Jae.
> "Don't be late! Emily says if you're late again, she's cutting your name out of her notes."
Dayo smirked and typed back:
> "Tell Emily to calm down. The legend's on his way."
He slid on his sunglasses and looked up at the morning sky.
Despite everything — the pressure, the silent rumors, the enemies watching from the shadows — he felt calm.
Things were changing faster than ever.
And though he knew he'd soon face new storms, he was ready for them. At least he thought
For now, he just wanted to cheer for his friends — to be part of something simple, something pure, before the next wave hit.
He took one last deep breath, smiled faintly, and whispered to himself,
"Let's go."