Chapter 3: The Business of Cleaning

Ethan locked up Level Up Arcade and stepped onto the quiet street, stretching his sore arms as the neon glow of the old OPEN sign flickered behind him. He had spent the entire day repairing machines, crawling through dust-filled cabinets, and learning the ins and outs of arcade maintenance. His fingers still felt stiff from hours of delicate soldering, but the exhaustion was a good kind—the kind that came with actual progress.

With ten machines restored, the arcade was starting to feel alive again.

But there was still so much to do.

His stomach grumbled as he walked the few blocks home to his small apartment. He barely had time to toss a frozen meal in the microwave before collapsing onto his bed, still wearing his grease-streaked hoodie.

[Arcade Progress: 25% Restored.]

The notification appeared just as his eyes started to close, and for once, instead of worrying about how much work still lay ahead, he let himself feel proud.

Then, exhaustion won.

And sleep took him.

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The next morning, Ethan arrived at the arcade early, the crisp morning air carrying the faint scent of city life—coffee from a nearby café, car exhaust, and the musty scent of neglect as he pushed open the arcade's door.

The glow of restored machines flickered back at him, but the rest of the place… was still a mess.

Sticky floors. Dust-covered counters. Trash from who-knows-how-many years stuffed into corners. His grandfather had kept the place in decent shape for a while, but in his later years, when business started struggling, maintenance had clearly become less of a priority.

Ethan sighed, rubbing the back of his head. If he was going to open this place up, it needed more than just working machines—it needed to look inviting.

Which meant cleaning.

But before diving into that nightmare, he wanted to check out his other skill.

[New Skill Unlocked: Business Basics (Level 1)]

The notification had appeared after his first wave of repairs, but he had been too exhausted to look into it. Now, he pulled up the system menu and tapped on the skill.

A list of features appeared before him:

Pricing Strategy: Adjust token pricing and game costs based on demand.Financial Reports: Track income and expenses.Marketing: Basic local outreach and promotions.Customer Analysis: Simple data on visitor preferences and habits.

Ethan whistled under his breath. This was huge.

It didn't just help him run the arcade—it gave him the tools to make it profitable.

He tapped on Financial Reports, curious about the state of things. A digital spreadsheet unfolded in front of him, listing past income, maintenance costs, and a massive overdue rent balance at the bottom.

His stomach twisted.

He knew his grandfather had struggled financially in the later years, but seeing the actual numbers made it feel real.

He shook his head. No point panicking now.

One step at a time.

He exited the report and scrolled through the other features. Marketing looked interesting, but before he even thought about attracting customers, he needed to make sure the arcade was presentable.

Which meant it was time to clean.

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Ethan grabbed an old broom from the back room and got to work.

He started with the floors—years of dried soda spills, dust, and old gum were practically embedded in the carpet. The broom barely did anything, so he switched to an actual vacuum he found in storage, dragging it across the floor until the murky brown carpet started to look less depressing.

After an hour, the notification appeared:

[Cleaning Skill Unlocked (Level 1)]

He blinked. Another skill?

Like the repair skill, it didn't instantly make him a cleaning expert, but small bits of knowledge started surfacing in his mind.

Use vinegar and water to break down old soda stains.Microfiber cloths work better than paper towels for dust.Cleaning in sections makes the process more manageable.

It was simple stuff, but it helped.

Instead of scrubbing blindly, he focused on one area at a time.

First, he tackled the arcade cabinets. He wiped down the glass screens, buffing away years of fingerprints and old stickers his grandfather had never removed. He cleaned the joysticks and buttons, scrubbing away layers of grime from decades of excited players.

Each cabinet he finished felt newer, fresher—like it was waking up.

[Cleaning Skill Progress: 30% to Level 2]

Next, he moved on to the prize counter.

The glass display case was clouded with dust, and old candy prizes had long since expired—he tossed them immediately. Stuffed animals, plastic figurines, and cheap trinkets lined the shelves, their colors dulled by years of neglect.

He pulled out a rag and carefully wiped down every shelf, making the prizes look brighter, more appealing.

[Cleaning Skill Progress: 55% to Level 2]

Then, the walls and posters.

He found an ancient promotional poster for Street Fighter II taped to the wall, the edges curled and faded. His first instinct was to throw it out, but something told him it had history—this arcade had once been a part of the community. Instead, he found an old frame in storage, cleaned the glass, and mounted the poster properly.

Now, instead of looking like trash, it looked like a piece of history.

[Cleaning Skill Progress: 78% to Level 2]

Finally, he tackled the bathroom.

Ethan took one look inside and nearly backed out.

"This… might be a boss fight."

It smelled like mold, old metal, and regret.

But he had come this far.

Armed with gloves, bleach, and sheer willpower, he scrubbed, sprayed, and scoured every inch of the small restroom. He replaced the toilet paper, fixed the wobbly sink handle, and wiped down the mirror until his reflection actually looked normal.

By the time he finished, the notification appeared:

[Cleaning Skill Level Up! 1 → 2]

Unlike last time, when Repair leveled up, this skill upgrade was less technical and more instinctive.

He suddenly noticed streaks he had missed, understood how to organize his workflow better, and recognized which cleaning solutions worked best for different materials.

It wasn't an instant "superpower," but it made the process quicker and smoother.

Ethan finally leaned against the counter, exhausted but satisfied.

The arcade felt different now.

Not just cleaner, but warmer. More inviting.

For the first time since inheriting the place, it felt like a business, not just an old building.

And he was one step closer to reopening.

As he locked up for the night, another notification appeared.

[New Quest: Prep for Opening – Restore 5 More Machines & Set Pricing.]

Ethan smirked.

The next phase of the game had begun.