I lean my back against the hard, uncomfortable backrest of this chair. A throne. They call it a symbol of power, but to me, it's just a piece of gold-plated woodripples. The craftsmanship isn't even as refined as the limited-edition gaming chair in my apartment.
Beneath my feet, the white marble of this cathedral is white no longer. A thick red liquid seeps into the cracks of the floor, flowing slowly toward my boots. I observe the blood with pure curiosity.
The texture... it feels so real.
In the game world, blood was just red light particles that vanished in seconds. But here? I can smell its acrid, metallic tang. I can see the faint steam rising from the wounds of the knights I just slaughtered. This sensation is far more satisfying than simply watching damage numbers pop up on a screen.
"Stop... I beg of you, stop..."
The voice comes from the old man wearing the crown that is now flattened under my boot. King Alaric, if I heard correctly earlier. He is prostrating himself so low that his forehead touches the pool of his own men's blood.
Truly a pathetic sight.
"Stop?" I twirl a silver dagger—looted from a top-50 ranked Assassin—between my fingers. "You were the ones who dragged me here, weren't you? You opened your front door and invited the wolf inside. And now, once the wolf starts biting, you ask him to stop?"
I chuckle softly. My voice echoes through the now-silent cathedral hall, save for the groans of dying men.
I glance above my head. The number is still there. -9,999,999,999. Deep red and pulsing like a rotting heart.
Then, a transparent system window appears before my eyes. Only I can see it.
[World Notification]
[You have committed 'Regicide' (Kingslaying) in potential...]
[Reputation in the Kingdom of Solstheim: ENEMY OF EXISTENCE]
[Current Credit Score cannot decrease further. You have reached the 'Absolute Void' limit.]
Absolute Void. I like the sound of that.
"Bishop," I call out without taking my eyes off the system window.
The old man in white robes in the corner of the room flinches. He tries to hide his trembling hands beneath his sleeves. I know he's trying to gather mana for a counter-attack spell. Foolish. Did he think I couldn't feel those cheap energy fluctuations?
"Don't go any further," I say coldly. "If you chant one more syllable, I will ensure your tongue becomes part of my weapon collection."
He freezes instantly. His face turns blue with terror.
I stand up from the throne, letting my white robes sweep across the filthy floor. I walk toward the large altar in the center of the room, the spot where I first appeared. There sits a large crystal basin filled with a glowing blue liquid that looks incredibly pure.
"This is pure Mana, isn't it?" I ask.
"I-it is... Holy Water from Lake Aethel..." the King answers in a hoarse voice. "Life energy meant to maintain the seal of the apocalypse..."
I hold my hand out over the liquid. I can feel a powerful pull. In my old world, energy like this was used to refill weapon durability or level up skills.
"The apocalypse?" I smile thinly. "You summoned me to stop the apocalypse, yet you just handed the keys to the armory to the thief."
I activate my passive skill: [The Sovereign's Greed].
Instantly, the golden ripples behind me open wider. Hundreds of swords, spears, and axes hovering in the air begin to absorb the blue light from the crystal basin. The holy liquid shrinks rapidly, sucked into my dimensional portals.
[Notification: Legendary Weapon 'Dawnbreaker' has been reinforced!]
[Notification: Mythical Weapon 'World-Eater' has been fully restored!]
The sensation of power is overwhelming. I can feel every inch of the weapons inside my Vault vibrating with joy. They thirst for the energy of this world, just as I do.
"Now," I turn back to the King, who now looks ten years older. "I have two choices for you."
I flick my fingers, and two swords shoot out from the portal, thudding into the floor right in front of Alaric's face. One is a glowing golden knight's sword, and the other is a rusted black blade emitting an aura of death.
"Choice one: You die now as heroes who tried to resist this 'demon.' I will level this place, and your names will be erased from history."
I step forward, my shadow looming over the king's small frame.
"Choice two: You become my dogs. Show me where the other holy artifacts are kept, give me all the information about this world, and maybe... just maybe... I will let you keep breathing to see how I crush your neighboring kingdoms."
I can see the internal struggle in his eyes. Honor against fear. In my old world, players would usually choose to die for their pride. But here? In this cruel reality?
Alaric bows his head deeply. His forehead hits the floor with a heavy thud.
"We... we will obey you... My Lord Mikhael."
I laugh. Not a loud, villainous laugh, but a small, mocking one.
"A wise choice, little dog."
I look up at the cathedral ceiling, which is beginning to crack. This world is vast. There are still many kingdoms to visit, many 'heroes' to PK, and many legendary weapons to loot.
My credit score might be minus ten billion, but my goal remains the same. If this world wants an apocalypse, then I will be the one holding the reins.
"Get up," I command. "Lead me to your artifact vault. I want to see if there is anything worthy enough to decorate my golden ripples."