Jack West had always believed that life was fundamentally unfair, but he'd never expected it to become literally game-like.
The blue translucent screen hovering in his vision—visible only when he focused on it, thank God—had appeared exactly three days ago, right in the middle of his shift at the bookstore. One moment he'd been shelving fantasy novels in the back room, thinking about the Pathfinder campaign he was running that weekend, and the next moment reality had cracked open like an egg, spilling impossible information directly into his consciousness.
The first thing he'd noticed was the tingling—a strange electric sensation that started at the base of his skull and cascaded down his spine like champagne bubbles. Then came the text, scrolling across his vision in crisp, glowing letters:
[SYSTEM INITIALIZATION]
Scanning host...
Biological compatibility: CONFIRMED
Genetic markers: OPTIMAL
Psychological profile: ANALYZING...
Loading core functions...
█████░░░░░ 50%
Calibrating essence channels...
██████████ 100%
Integrating interface protocols...
██████████ 100%
[SYSTEM ONLINE]
Welcome, Progenitor.
The words had hung there for three heartbeats before the full status screen materialized, replacing his normal field of vision with something that looked like it had been ripped straight out of one of the LitRPG novels on the shelf beside him.
[STATUS]
Name: Jack West
Age: 28
Class: Progenitor (Unique)
Level: 1
XP: 0/100
STATS:
Vitality: 12
Virility: 18
Charisma: 11
Perception: 13
Willpower: 14
Intelligence: 14
ACTIVE ABILITIES:
Fertile Touch (Rank 1): Dramatically increases target's libido and conception chance. Cost: 10 Essence. Duration: 24 hours.
Vigor Surge (Rank 1): Enhances stamina and performance. Cost: 5 Essence. Duration: 30 minutes.
PASSIVE ABILITIES:
Progenitor's Aura: Subtle pheromones increase to attraction from fertile women.
Paternal Instinct: Heightened awareness of pregnancy and fertility status. May be viewed as highlighted conditions.
Enhanced Virility: Natural fertility increased by 300%.
Exceptional Cock: Pleasure for the female during intercourse increased by 200%. Natural stamina increased by 50%.
ESSENCE: 50/50
Sitting in his cramped studio apartment on a Friday evening, Jack stared at the system interface and tried to process what it meant. IKEA furniture worn at the edges, a desk buried under dice and character sheets, fantasy art posters on the walls, and a bookshelf sagging under the weight of rulebooks and novels—exactly what you'd expect from a twenty-eight-year-old who spent too much money on miniatures.
He'd spent the last three days testing, researching, trying to understand. The system responded to his thoughts like tooltip descriptions in a video game.
Progenitor. He'd clicked on it mentally dozens of times:
"A Progenitor is chosen by forces beyond mortal understanding to father and protect a new generation. Your purpose is to spread your seed, to create life, to build a legacy through your offspring. This is not merely a biological imperative—it is a cosmic mandate. As you fulfill your purpose, you will grow in power, influence, and capability."
Someone had reached into his deepest fantasies and made them into a character class. He'd always had a thing for pregnancy—the idea of a woman growing round with his child, of creating life, of being a father. It had always done something to him he couldn't quite explain. Too intimate to share with anyone.
And now the universe was telling him it was his destiny.
"This is insane," Jack muttered, running a hand through his brown hair. It was getting long, curling at the ends. "Completely insane."
The rational part of his brain insisted this was a psychotic break. Carbon monoxide. Brain tumor. Finally cracking under the weight of being single, lonely, and working a dead-end job at twenty-eight.
But the screen was there. Solid. Consistent. And he could feel it—a reservoir of energy the system called "Essence," like a warm pool in his chest.
He hadn't used any abilities yet. Fertile Touch required touching someone, and he wasn't about to go around randomly touching women. That was the kind of thing his mother had raised him not to do. Also the quickest way to get arrested.
But God, he was curious.
And lonely.
Jack grabbed a beer from the fridge—local IPA, probably too hoppy—and stared out the window at the city lights. When was the last time he'd been on a date? Six months? Eight? The apps were exhausting. Conversations that went nowhere, profiles that blurred together.
"You're cute," his childhood friend Sarah had said once, after too many drinks. "Like, approachable cute. Non-threatening."
Not exactly the kind of thing that made women swipe right. He knew he wasn't the most good looking guy out there. Average height, average build, average looks. The type that could easily fade into the background.
He had one thing going for him—he'd checked enough times in high school and college to know he was well-endowed—but that was useless if no one wanted to get to know him first.
He'd never figured out his type, anyway. Sometimes a petite woman with modest curves made his heart skip. Other times, someone average height but generously curved. He'd spent embarrassing amounts of time trying to understand his preferences, as if that would make dating easier.
What he wanted was simple: connection. Intimacy. To wake up next to someone who liked him. And yes, to be a father. To feel a pregnant belly under his hands, to know he'd created life with someone he cared about.
According to the system, that was his entire purpose.
Jack returned to his desk and pulled up the status screen. There was more information if he dug deeper—a journal or codex explaining the mechanics.
"As a Progenitor, you gain experience through fulfilling your purpose. Successful conception grants significant XP, with bonuses for multiple partners, multiple pregnancies, and the health of offspring. You may also gain XP through related activities: courtship, intimacy, and the care of pregnant partners and children."
"Leveling up will increase your stats, unlock new abilities, and expand your influence. Higher levels grant access to more powerful effects, including the ability to sense and influence fertility at a distance, to ensure healthy pregnancies, and to create bonds with your partners that transcend normal human connection."
A game manual with staggering implications. If this was real—and he was increasingly convinced it was—he had the power to do something he'd always dreamed of. Family. Multiple families, if the system was to be believed.
He could feel it even now. The power hummed beneath his skin. Waiting.
Maybe he could do something with it. Maybe test it.
Jack pulled his laptop closer and navigated to his dating profiles. He'd been neglecting them. Maybe it was time to try again.
He had a passive ability called "Progenitor's Aura" now—subtly increased attraction from fertile women. Pheromones? Psychic influence? He wasn't sure, but it was something.
He updated his profile pictures, choosing ones where he looked relaxed. Rewrote his bio:
"28, bookstore employee and forever DM. Looking for something real—connection, partnership, maybe a future together. I love fantasy, gaming, and deep conversations. Bonus points if you can appreciate a well-crafted character arc or a perfectly timed critical hit."
Dorky, but honest. He hit save and started to power the laptop down, setting it aside to boot up his gaming PC instead. Enough thinking for one night. He launched Elden Ring—he'd been stuck on Malenia for a week—and opened a browser tab to check build guides on Reddit.
The system interface flickered at the edge of his vision, patient and persistent.
He ignored it and focused on the game, letting the familiar rhythm of dodge-rolls and attack patterns drown out everything else. Tomorrow he'd go to work, live his normal life, see what happened.
Maybe nothing would change.
Maybe the system was a delusion after all.
But as he died to Malenia's Waterfowl Dance for the hundredth time, Jack couldn't help pulling up the status screen one more time, just to confirm it was still there.
It was.