"Gasp—hah…! The countdown—!"
Rience jolted upright in his bed, his breath coming in short, uneven gasps. Cold sweat trickled down the back of his neck, soaking into the collar of his shirt.
For a fleeting moment, he could not tell whether the horrors he had just endured were real or merely the remnants of a nightmare.
As he scanned his surroundings with the morning light pouring in through the window, Rience realized that he was currently in the small bedroom he was renting for 500$ in Wichita, Kansas.
The plain off-white walls, the beige carpet, and the cheap bedside table he had bought at a garage sale… all of it reminded him of the place he'd lived in five years earlier, before his awakening as a hunter.
"What's this? I remember I'm supposed to be in Hotel Mariano… Hah! Don't tell me—!"
Rience reached for the nightstand, fumbling with the drawer until his fingers felt his phone. One tap of the power button, and the glow of the date and time blinded him.
"January 18, 2026… Why am I back 5 years in the past?"
He pinched the bridge of his nose while closing his eyes as he slowly put down his phone. If this was 5 years ago, it meant that System 1220 hadn't taken over his body yet.
When System 1220 seized control of his body on May 11, 2025, he could do nothing but watch as it moved under the system's command while he hovered around like a ghost nearby.
Since then, he witnessed how System 1220 raided dungeons alone from C-Class dungeons until A-Class dungeons.
Everytime he saw how the System treated his body, it was like a nightmare. A hellish dream he wanted to wake up from.
Rience definitely values his life like there was no tomorrow. He didn't know what would happen to him, as a ghost, if his physical body perished under the system's control. And knowing something unknown is not something he was willing to risk for.
"If I'm back in the past… that means I am going to be controlled again—Nooo—!"
The mere thought of being controlled again made Rience very anxious for his future. He definitely needs to prevent that damned system controlling him. However, how could he prevent it?
In a time where Hunters awakens and dungeons exist, the system was absolute. If the system deemed that he was the villain for this world, it would be an absolute fact.
"How did I become the villain of this world? Argh! Conquering the world is not my goal! I don't even have the courage to kill monsters! I just want a peaceful life where I can leisurely enjoy my free time by reading books!"
Ever since he was a child, he had always loved reading books. Reading was more than just a hobby to him, it was an escape.
Whenever he opened a book, the noise of his surroundings faded, and he could momentarily forget his circumstances, immersing himself in a completely different world filled with adventures, heroes, and endless possibilities.
Growing up in an orphanage shaped much of his personality. Surrounded by uncertainty and the quiet competition for attention and care, he learned to make himself small. He became timid by nature, often avoiding conflict and shrinking away from confrontation.
Books became his refuge—the one place where he could be brave without fear, where he could experience courage through the characters he admired, even if he struggled to find that same strength within himself.
With this kind of personality, he found it unbelievable that he was a villain. Even now, he could still recall the moment when the System first took control of him.
☆ ☆ ☆ •
[Due to the Villain of Earth No. 1220's slow progression, the Administrator programmed this System to take over the Villain's body in order to advance the plotline leading to Earth No. 1220's destruction.
Take over will happen after syncing with Villain's data.]
After coming out of the recent Dungeon he just raided together with the Operations Division's Team G of the National Bureau of Hunters, Rience saw this notification on his System Panel.
Not knowing what to do, he first wanted to approach a fellow hunter that was slightly close but it seems like he was busy talking with another fellow hunter.
'Should I just go back home?'
After leaving Wichita, Rience had intended to stay only for the duration of the Hunter Training Camp in Oklahoma City, but even though almost five years had passed, he was still living in the city.
The main reason he had done so was because the benefits of becoming a Hunter in Oklahoma City was far greater than what he would have received back in Wichita.
First of all, there were many libraries in Oklahoma City. As a certified bookworm, this was the first thing that captivated him with the city. As he was living a thrifty life, he needed a place where he could borrow books and read them for free.
Another reason he stayed was that with many hunters around, his safety was more secure. Although Wichita also had many hunters, it couldn't be said that they were of the same caliber.
As soon as he returned to the condo that was the Bureau provider, he looked at his System Panel.
[Due to the Villain of Earth No. 1220's slow progression, the Administrator programmed this System to take over the Villain's body in order to advance the plotline leading to Earth No. 1220's destruction.
Take over will happen after syncing with Villain's data.]
"Take over will happen after syncing with the Villain's data? What does it mean?"
Although he had already read most of the books on Hunters and Systems available on the market, both offline and online, this was obviously an anomaly.
"Is this a bug perhaps?"
He couldn't believe this could possibly be a bug, but then he remembered that the System was a program created by a higher being, so bugs were possible.
Although Rience doubted it would actually happen, it was the only explanation he could come up with. After all, the notification itself made it clear that a certain Administrator had programmed the System.
"If this was a bug, that Administrator would probably fix it soon. I should just mind my own business and relax after the raid."
Changing out of his hunter clothes into pajamas, Rience ordered Yangzhou Fried Rice with Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet for takeout. A successful raid deserved a proper dinner, and he wasn't about to deny himself one.
While waiting for his take-out to arrive, Rience took the book he recently borrowed from a nearby library and started reading.
The words pulled him in, and the minutes slipped by almost unnoticed. A sharp ding of the doorbell pulled him back to reality—the Yangzhou Fried Rice with Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet had arrived.
After finishing his dinner, he spent a few more hours reading the book. When he felt he had read enough, Rience checked the news updates and read various emails he had received on his phone.
Once he had completed his daily routine, Rience felt the day had run its course and sank into bed, ready for sleep.