The Passive Income System

Fortnite. A wildly popular online video game developed by Epic Games, first released in 2017. Known for its addictive gameplay and unique combination of building mechanics and combat. Everyone knew about it in my last world, and that holds true here as well!

DuDuDUDU!!

"H-How is he so fast?!" Mahiru exclaimed, struggling to keep up with the legendary building master, Noobslayer69. Nobody could beat him... he's a legend that transcends space-time. This is a bloodbath, if only she didn't run into him!

Her shoulders slumped for a moment, but she immediately queued up for another match.

"Shiina, why not learn the controller first? You play so stiffly. Hahaha~!" I teased.

"Shut up! I won't learn if I don't lose... and besides, warming up is for weaklings!"

Oh god… don't let her play Valorant! I vowed to keep her away from that game. Valorant is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemies! Still, I love every second of the damn game, so maybe I'm just a hypocrite.

She loaded into the next game, but this time she didn't jump straight into the action. Players surrounded her, and since she didn't know anything...

"H-How am I supposed to win against so many people?" she asked, turning to me with near-tears in her eyes. I never thought I'd see someone freak out in a pregame lobby.

"It's alright, this is just the pregame lobby. You won't have any issues here. Well... unless you see a Gojo skin. You might get hit with a Weekend emote, or someone might griddy! Then some weirdo might try having E-Sex with you, but I have faith that is unlikely in this game."

"E-EH? E-SEX?! What is that?"

Why the hell did I say that?! Internally, I berated myself for mentioning something so useless, but it was too late to take it back. I lightly placed my hands on her shoulders, staring into her caramel-colored eyes. Fear had started to creep across her face, but I pressed on.

Taking a deep breath, I sighed and explained it to her. Her eyes widened in horror, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. She genuinely looked like she might throw up at the thought.

"C-Cough! Cough! That is so sad and disgusting!" she exclaimed, her gaze as cold as an arctic tundra. I may have just ensured she'll never talk to anyone online.

Is this a W or an L? I wasn't sure. On the one hand, she'd be safe from online creeps, but on the other, it might make her go out more. I didn't have any say over that. Still, once you start thinking about it, the thoughts just keep rolling, you know?

Honk~ Honk~!

"Oh, let's go!" I cheered, switching topics to the sound of the battle bus horn. I sat back, preparing to watch her play again.

She patted her chest smugly (and very cutely) and began bragging.

"I'm going to win and show you that you can't make fun of me!"

"I didn't even make fun of you, though?"

"Doesn't matter. I'm sure you did at some point."

"O-Okay?" I didn't know what else to say, but I genuinely hoped she'd win. It would boost her mood, and that was always a good thing. I didn't need her stomping on my foot again!

OG Fortnite was back, and she landed in Pleasant Park. She was surprisingly good at looting. In just two minutes, her loadout consisted of a golden scar, full shield, and two Med kits. Her luck was outrageous!

Gunshots echoed nearby, but she played cautiously, creeping between houses and using bushes for cover.

"!?"

Dink~!

"GAH!?" She whipped her character around as bullets rained down on her relentlessly! She turned and moved with her character, like she was actually there on the front lines. It was really cute. I even snuck a picture... but she wouldn't know about that until after this game.

Hell, I might just never tell her!

Anyway.

Aim assist saved her, and she managed to land a few headshots, ending the fight fairly quickly.

"Phew~! Told you I can win!" She turned to me, expecting praise, but I wasn't giving her any.

"Win the game first, please."

"Meanie! You could just say good job."

"Nah, I'd win."

"What does that have to do with this? Why did you even say that in the first place?" She tilted her head in confusion, but I offered no explanation. Thankfully, it turned her focus back to the game.

Before long, she was in the final stretch with only five players remaining! Fifteen minutes passed, and the final circle closed in on Pleasant Park, giving her perfect positioning. She actually had a shot!

W-What the hell do I do if she actually wins?

Mahiru camped inside a house and opted to let the others eliminate each other, which was surprising since I didn't think she'd realize she could do that. Yes, it was a common strategy, but for a non-gamer, you'd expect them to chase the thrill of playing or make careless mistakes. The total player count soon dropped to four, then three, leaving only two other players besides her alive!

I glanced at the timer for the last circle: [:43].

Forty-three seconds left... and the other two weren't fighting yet. That probably meant they were the cautious type, given how small the circle already was. My instincts told me one of them was likely hiding in a bush, and the other might be trying a skybase! Should I help her? I did want her to win, but I was sure she'd rather do it on her own.

I didn't know what to do, so I went with my gut and gave her some advice.

"Mahiru! Look up and keep an eye out for bushes!" Time was running out before they had to move, so I blurted out without even thinking. She flinched but took my advice, peeking out the window. Sure enough, there it was—one of them was attempting a sky base challenge!

DuDuDu~!

She aimed her golden scar at the wooden structure. From her defeat against NoobMaster69, she'd learned that wood could be easily destroyed, and her shots sent the player falling to their death.

Why the hell didn't they have a backup plan? Hah~ whatever, it just means a better chance for her to win.

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The timer ran out, and the final circle started closing. Hearing the alert, Shiina rushed out of the house, which was something I wouldn't have recommended. But then again, those who strike first sometimes win, so who knows!

The moment she revealed herself, gunshots erupted, but they all missed! She moved with everything she had, becoming one with her avatar. Dodging bullets with remarkable precision(luck), she aimed and gunned down the last player in one swift motion!

"H-Holy shit. You actually did it..." I muttered in disbelief.

"Hehehe!"

She stood up excitedly, giggling like a little girl, and leaped into a hug. My reaction speed was fast enough to predict what was going to happen, but I let it happen anyway. I didn't hug her back, though—I just gave her a few headpats, carefully ensuring my hands didn't touch her anywhere inappropriate.

I wasn't used to seeing this side of her, and I didn't want to lose it. She rubbed her head into my chest like a cat, and the head pats made that mental image even more vivid. I paused mid-pat as a dangerous thought entered my mind.

If Sawako were here alongside Mahiru... I think my little brother would be raging. Maybe one day... Wait!? What am I thinking?! Thinking about Mahiru like that is wrong, besides, the system even confirms we're just friends. Sawako might even kill me if she knew I had a stray thought like this!