Chapter 15 – A Taste for Success & The Road Ahead

Chapter 15 – A Taste for Success & The Road Ahead

The scent of sizzling butter and freshly ground coffee filled the air as Ivan wiped down a table, the morning sun casting long shadows across the bar's wooden floor. He hadn't expected it, but he actually enjoyed working here.

Gastronomy.

He never thought much about it before, but the rush of service, the rhythm of the kitchen, the satisfaction of watching customers leave happy—it felt good. It was the first time in either of his lives that he had made money this fast. Faster than in his last timeline. Faster than he ever expected.

Something about earning his own money instead of waiting for handouts from his grandmother or scraping by felt… different.

He felt successful.

As summer slowly came to an end, Ivan started mentally preparing for school. But this time, he was ready.

Back to School

September rolled in, and with it, school placements.

9th grade.

Ivan had been expecting it, but still, seeing the confirmation felt surreal. He was thirteen. The youngest in his class. His brother, who was three years younger, was placed in 7th grade, making him the youngest in his class as well.

They stood out, but neither of them cared.

Every day after school, they studied together, making sure to stay at the top of their grades. Their routine was strict, but Ivan had no intention of slacking. He couldn't afford to.

The problem was, despite acing school and making money, one thing was missing.

The PC.

The Fortnite Dilemma

Fortnite drops next month…

Ivan tapped his pen against his notebook, lost in thought.

It was frustrating. He had been so focused on work and school that he never got the chance to convince his grandmother to buy him a PC. And now, the opportunity to jump on Fortnite before it blew up was slipping through his fingers.

Maybe I should ask for a laptop instead?

It was a tempting thought. He didn't need a gaming PC right away, just something to start making content.

But he hesitated.

Asking for a laptop now might push the PC idea even further away, and if he wanted to stream, a weak laptop wouldn't cut it. He needed a solid setup for that.

At least he had savings.

By the end of summer, Ivan had stacked up €800. A decent amount for a 13-year-old. But…

Do I spend it on a setup?

It was a huge risk. If content creation didn't take off, that money would be gone.

Then another thought crept in.

What if I gamble?

A quick flip could turn €800 into €2000 or more. But it was risky. He already knew how gambling worked—it wasn't designed for people like him to win.

Still…

Making the Best of What He Had

Instead of dwelling on what he couldn't do, Ivan decided to focus on what he could.

Since streaming was out of the question for now, he shifted his attention to YouTube.

If he couldn't play, he could at least prepare.

His grandfather's old laptop barely functioned, but it was enough to start learning how to edit and make thumbnails. It could barely run Adobe Premiere Pro, but Ivan pushed through the lag and crashes, determined to get better.

He wanted to master it before he even touched a camera.

Content creation wasn't just about gaming—it was about presentation. He needed to stand out.

And he had a vision.

Becoming Fearless

There was this old YouTuber he used to watch back in his past life—Fearless.

A guy who made hilarious, skillful Fortnite content but then… disappeared. No goodbye, no explanation. Just gone.

Ivan never understood it.

How can someone just abandon their fans like that?

If Ivan was going to build an audience, he wasn't going to leave them hanging.

His plan was simple:

1. Learn how to edit like a pro.

2. Master thumbnails and video pacing.

3. Understand YouTube's algorithm before posting anything.

4. When the time comes—go all in.

The Bigger Picture

Fortnite was just the starting point.

If he played his cards right, this wasn't just about gaming—this was about making something bigger.

A brand. A business.

Every successful YouTuber had one thing in common—they knew the trends before they happened.

Ivan had an unfair advantage. He already knew what would blow up before it even started.

And even if he couldn't stream yet, he would be ready when the time came.

For now, the goal was clear:

Master the fundamentals.

Because when the opportunity finally came, he wasn't just going to take it—

He was going to dominate it.