I settled into the plush, heated leather of the mana-limousine, the door closing with a heavy, satisfying thud that sealed out the stench of the slums. I could still feel the [Ring of Shadows] in my pocket, its cold, S-rank pulse a silent testament to my first victory over destiny.
The driver engaged the silent mana-engine, and the vehicle began to glide forward like a predator through dark water. I didn't look back. I had what I came for, and the "Hero" was currently nothing more than a pathetic footnote in my rear-view mirror.
Suddenly, the car jerked. A frantic thudding sound echoed against the reinforced obsidian glass of the rear passenger window.
I looked over. Kaelen was running alongside the car, his face flushed and his generic brown hair matted with sweat. He was actually banging his fist against the enchanted glass, his expression a mixture of desperation and self-righteous fury.
"Stop! Please, wait!" his voice muffled but audible through the insulation.
I sighed, a flick of my finger triggering the window control. The obsidian glass slid down just an inch—enough for me to see the dirt under his fingernails and the "innocent" eyes that were now wide with panic.
"You have five seconds before I have my driver test the car's external lightning wards," I said, my voice as cold as the ice blade that was supposed to kill me in three days.
Kaelen gasped, nearly tripping over his own worn-out boots as he kept pace. "That ring... the iron one you just bought. Please, I need it. I can't explain why, but I feel a destiny with that item. It's like it's calling to me."
I stared at him, genuinely amused by the sheer, unadulterated gall of the "Child of Destiny." He was a scruffy, penniless brat asking a billionaire for an S-rank artifact because he had a "feeling".
"A destiny?" I repeated, a slow, cruel smirk spreading across my face. "And I suppose you think that 'feeling' entitles you to my property?"
Kaelen's expression hardened into that classic look of heroic resolve—the kind that usually rallies an audience but only made my skin crawl. "I know it sounds crazy, but I'll pay you back! I promise! I'll work for you, or I'll pay you tenfold in the future! I have a feeling I'm meant for great things!"
I couldn't help it. I laughed. It wasn't a joyful sound; it was the dry, mocking chuckle of a man who had seen the bottom of a spreadsheet and knew that "potential" wasn't a liquid asset.
"Listen to yourself," I said, leaning closer to the opening. "You are a beggar in a mud-caked alleyway asking me to give you a charity handout of an item I just paid thousands of gold pieces for. And your collateral is what? A 'feeling' that you're special?"
Kaelen winced, but his self-righteousness wouldn't let him back down. "Justice isn't about money! That ring belongs with someone who will use it for good, not someone who just buys things because they're bored!"
"Justice?" I scoffed. "Justice is the luxury of those who can afford the legal fees. In the real world, property belongs to the person who has the capital to acquire it. You want the ring? Get a job, beggar. Save up for fifty years, and maybe you can afford the dust it gathered on the shelf."
Kaelen's face twisted. In his mind, he was the hero of this story, and I was just an obstacle to be overcome by the power of his will. He reached out, his hand grasping for the door handle as if he intended to force the car to stop.
"You don't understand! I need it to—"
"Driver," I interrupted, my voice dropping an octave. "Clear the path."
The driver didn't need a second order. He tapped a rune on the dashboard. A soft hum vibrated through the chassis as the car's defensive kinetic array flared to life.
A pulse of invisible force erupted from the side of the limousine. It wasn't enough to kill him—I wasn't done farming him for points yet—but it was more than enough to handle a low-level "Hero" who hadn't even finished the tutorial.
Kaelen was thrown backward as if he'd been hit by a swinging mallet. He let out a choked yelp as he flew through the air, landing with a wet, heavy splash in a particularly deep and stagnant mud puddle in the center of the street.
A few slum residents who had watched the whole scene began to laugh—harsh, bitter laughs at the muddy "hero" who dared touch a noble's car.
I watched through the window as we accelerated. In the rearview mirror, Kaelen sat up, dripping with grey sludge and filth, looking like a drowned rat. He looked small, pathetic, and utterly humiliated.
A crisp, digital chime rang in my mind.
[ System Notification: Humiliated Child of Destiny. ]
[ Face-Slap Multiplier x3 Activated: Public Street + Witnessed by Slum Residents ]
[ Reward: +300 Destiny Points ]
[ Kaelen's Plot Armor Integrity: -15% ]
"Delicious," I whispered to the empty cabin.
I leaned back and swiped my hand through the air, summoning the holographic Villain System interface. The crimson-edged screen flickered to life, displaying my current status.
[Host: Lucas Vayne] [Current DP: 1,100] (800 Previous + 300 Bonus)
I felt a surge of professional satisfaction. I had been in this world for less than six hours, and I was already making a profit on my own execution. I tapped the icon for the [Villain Shop].
A list of high-tier skills and items scrolled past. I ignored the [One-Time Death Immunity] for now—at a million DP, it was a long-term goal. I needed something that would give me an immediate edge at the Academy.
My eyes settled on a specific skill.
[Skill: Eyes of Truth (Rank A)] Description: Allows the user to see hidden stats, talent potential, and the true loyalty/affection levels of those around them. Nothing stays hidden from the Villain's gaze. [Cost: 1,000 DP]
I didn't hesitate. I tapped 'Purchase'.
[Purchase Successful. Remaining DP: 100]
A sharp, icy sensation flooded my tear ducts. For a moment, my red eyes burned with an intense, violet light before settling back into their natural crimson hue. When I looked around the car now, everything was different. I could see the mana density of the leather seats and the structural integrity of the obsidian glass.
I tested the skill on the back of the driver's head.
[Target: Arthur (Driver)]
[Loyalty: 92% (Fear-Based)]
[Talent: C-Rank (Driving)]
[Secret: None]
"Acceptable… for now," I muttered.
It was perfect. No one would be able to lie to me. No "Hero" would be able to hide a secret power-up, and no "Heroine" would be able to mask her true intentions.
My obsidian phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, the screen lighting up with a notification from the Magic-Net messaging app.
Message from: Seraphina Frost (Fiancée).
I unlocked the phone. The message was short, blunt, and radiated the "Ice Queen" energy she was famous for.
Seraphina: "We need to talk. My father and I will be at your estate tomorrow at noon. Do not be late."
I looked at the message, the [Eyes of Truth] flickering as I read between the lines. I knew exactly what this was. In the game, this was the "Engagement Breaking" event. She was coming to publicly dump the "arrogant loser" Lucas Vayne to preserve her family's dignity before the Academy entrance.
In the original timeline, the old Lucas had thrown a fit, begged her to stay, and eventually tried to kidnap her—leading directly to his execution.
I let out a slow, dark smirk.
"The Ice Queen wants to break up," I murmured, my thumb hovering over the screen. "Perfect."
I typed a single-word reply: "Acknowledged."
I closed my eyes, the 71 hours remaining on my death clock ticking down in the corner of my vision. Seraphina thought she was coming to humiliate me. Kaelen thought he was destined for greatness.
They were both about to learn that in a world of heroes and villains, the only thing that truly matters is who owns the board.