Dark clouds loomed over the ruined battlefield. Blood soaked the earth, and bodies were scattered like trash. At the center of it all stood a single man—wounded, broken, and betrayed. His silver hair was matted with blood, and his once bright eyes were now dull with exhaustion.
His name was Raven Cross.
He had fought for humanity. He had saved kingdoms. He had crushed monsters and slain demons. But now…
He was surrounded by the very people he had protected.
A spear pierced his chest.
A familiar voice echoed coldly, "You've served your purpose, hero."
Raven turned weakly. It was his childhood friend—Elias, the prince. The one he had trusted the most.
Behind Elias stood the saintess, the guildmaster, the general—all smiling coldly. The ones he had once called allies.
"Why…?" Raven whispered, blood dripping from his lips.
Elias smirked. "You were always too soft. Too loyal. Too useful. Now that the war's over, we don't need you anymore."
The saintess stepped forward, her eyes glowing faintly. "Return to the goddess peacefully, Hero. Your role is finished."
"Role…?" Raven's eyes trembled. "So that's all I ever was? A tool?"
No one answered. They didn't need to.
Raven let out a bitter laugh, coughing blood. His vision blurred as the sky cracked open with thunder.
For the first time in his life, he didn't feel pain. He felt… relief.
He was finally free.
But deep inside, a spark ignited. A voice whispered—cold, sharp, venomous.
> "They used you. They discarded you. Will you let them win?"
His vision faded completely.
---
Darkness. Silence. Then—a heartbeat.
Thump.
Another.
Thump.
Suddenly, his eyes shot open. He gasped for air.
"What the hell—?!"
He sat up violently. The ground beneath him wasn't dirt or blood—it was soft grass. The air smelled clean. The sky was blue. Birds chirped. The sound of a flowing river echoed nearby.
He blinked. "...Where am I?"
Then, a notification sound rang in his head.
> [Ding! Welcome, Host! You have been selected by the Villain System!]
Raven froze. "...What?"
A glowing screen appeared before him. It hovered in midair like a hologram, written in a language he somehow understood.
> [World: Arcania – Realm of Magic and Myth]
[Identity: Raven Cross – Level 1 Villager]
[System Type: Villain System]
[Objective: Rise to power, dominate the world, and embrace your inner darkness.]
Before he could even process that, another sound chimed.
> [Initializing companion AI...]
[Creating avatar...]
[Hello, Host ♥]
A girl appeared beside him—a holographic figure with long silver hair, crimson eyes, and a sly smile. She looked like a mix between an angel and a devil—beautiful, but dangerous.
Raven blinked again. "...You're the system?"
She winked. "Correct! I'm Vee, your personal system assistant! Think of me as your partner in crime~"
"Partner in—wait. You said 'Villain System'?"
"Yup!" she chirped. "You were betrayed, broken, and abandoned in your old world, right? The heavens decided to give you another shot. But this time—no hero act. No fake friends. No mercy."
Her tone sharpened.
"Become the villain they feared you would become."
Raven stared at her, silent.
A cold wind blew. His mind flashed back—Elias's smirk, the saintess's fake tears, the guild's betrayal. All of it burned into his memory.
He clenched his fists.
"No more kindness," he muttered. "No more trust. No more weakness."
Vee grinned. "Now you're talking, Host ♥"
He took a deep breath. "So, how does this system work?"
"Simple! You gain Villain Points by doing acts of cunning, domination, and control. The more ruthless and intelligent you are, the more powerful you'll become!"
Raven narrowed his eyes. "Powerful how?"
"Skills, stats, hidden abilities, armies—you name it. You'll have everything you need to become unstoppable. You're not a hero anymore. You're the architect of chaos."
He smirked faintly. "I can work with that."
Vee's eyes sparkled. "Good~ Let's begin with your starter kit!"
A chest materialized in front of him, glowing with a faint purple light.
> [Starter Pack Received!]
– Shadow Dagger (Grade: Rare)
– Cloak of Deception (Grade: Rare)
– Skill: Mind's Gambit (Allows Host to manipulate, deceive, and strategize on a higher level)
– 100 Villain Points
He picked up the dagger. Its blade reflected his face—cold, calculating. He tied the cloak around his shoulders, feeling its weight vanish instantly.
"This world," he murmured, looking at the distant mountains, the floating castles, the forests of crystal trees. "It looks peaceful. Perfect place to break it."
Vee giggled. "You're catching on fast, Host."
Raven looked down at his reflection in the river nearby. Gone was the beaten-down hero. In his place stood a man with sharp eyes and a faint smirk.
"So… where do we start?"
"Depends. Want a quick tutorial or do you want to dive straight into chaos?"
He thought for a moment. The old him would've wanted to understand everything first. But the new him? He preferred action.
"Let's dive in."
Vee's eyes gleamed. "Excellent. First target: the nearby Greenfall Village. Weak governance, corrupt mayor, desperate peasants—a perfect playground for your rise."
Raven nodded slowly. "A small village, huh? Then we start small. We take control, build power, spread influence."
"Exactly~ Let's show this world what happens when you betray a hero."
A gust of wind blew through the forest. Raven tightened his cloak and started walking.
No longer a savior.
No longer a tool.
He was reborn—not to protect, but to dominate.
> [New Objective: Infiltrate Greenfall Village]
[Bonus Mission: Establish control without being discovered (Reward: +200 Villain Points)]
Raven smirked. "Heh. Let's begin."
Vee floated beside him, humming happily. "Villain mode: activated~"
As the sun set, a shadow moved through the forest—silent, cunning, unstoppable.
The game had begun.
And this time, he was the one writing the rules.
To be continued...