In the bedroom of a massive estate, Antonio slowly opened his eyes, very much alive.
For a moment, he did not move. The soft canopy above him swayed gently, white curtains glowing in warm morning light. The scent of expensive incense filled his lungs—far too clean… far too peaceful.
Alive?
His heart began to pound.
Just moments ago, he had been lying in a pool of his own blood, bones shattered, laughter tearing out of his dying throat as hatred consumed him. He remembered the pain. The darkness.
Yet now—
Antonio shot upright with a sharp gasp. His hands trembled as he inspected them. No wounds. No scars. Not even a trace of blood. His body felt young… strong.
"This is impossible…" he whispered.
He swung his legs off the bed. The cold marble floor beneath his feet felt real. Too real. Across the room, a large mirror reflected his face—and what he saw made his breath hitch.
A younger face. He caught sight of the calendar and froze. He was fifteen again.
His eyes widened.
"I… went back?"
The memory of that divine voice echoed faintly in his mind.
Do you want to go back in time?
"So it was real. Not a dream. I have returned to life."
Antonio's lips slowly curled into a trembling smile—half shock, half madness. His shoulders began to shake as air burst violently from his lungs.
"HAAAA—HAHA… HAHAHAHA!"
The laughter erupted like a storm, wild and uncontrollable. Veins bulged in his neck, his eyes wide and shining with pure insanity as the sound tore through the air, echoing long after reason had already fled.
As his twisted laughter echoed in the void, a cold, mechanical whisper slithered into his mind:
[ Welcome to the Dark Lord Devouring System… Master. ]
The sudden intrusion froze Antonio mid-laugh. His breath steadied, his expression sharpened, and the madness in his eyes narrowed into a razor edge of focus. Confusion flickered for only a heartbeat before he asked in a low, dangerous voice,
"…Who are you?"
[ You… my master… are the one chosen by the Dark Lord himself.With a single whisper of his power, he bound my existence to yours bestowing me upon you to guide you, to shape you, and to lead you. ]
"Who is this Dark Lord… and why did he choose me? " Antonio asked, his voice cold and steady.
[ I apologize, master, but you have not yet attained the level required to receive this knowledge. ]
"What is his true motive for sending me back in time?" Antonio pressed once more, his tone chilled and shadowed with suspicion.
Again, he received the same answer: [ You have not yet reached the level required to know this. ]
"Then at least tell me why this so-called Dark Lord bestowed you upon me, and how you're supposed to guide me," Antonio asked.
[ With the Goddess of Time's help, the Dark Lord altered your destiny, as he is unable to intervene directly. And, Since you were supposed to die, your destiny was on the verge of perishing as well. However, by reverting your timeline, you were saved. But your fortune points are still low, so in the coming years, you are likely to die.]
"So… I'm destined to die again?" Antonio asked, his tone icy and laced with a barely contained murderous intent.
[ Do not worry. I will help you reclaim your lost fortune points. But to restore them… you must plunder the fortune of others. You can even earn fortune points by doing good deeds.There will also be quests where you can earn additional fortune points. ]
"But… how am I supposed to know when there's a quest?" Antonio interrogated.
[ Whenever a quest becomes available, you will be notified immediately. ]
"You claimed I can gain fortune points simply by playing the hero—by pretending to be a good person, isn't that right?" Antonio asked.
[ Yes, but the rate at which you earn fortune points will be much lower compared to the other two options. ]
Antonio's eyes lowered, his expression unreadable. A faint chill pulsed in the air around him—as if even the shadows waited for his decision.
"So to survive… I must become the villain."
His voice was calm, almost indifferent, yet there was a subtle sharpness beneath the words.
"That's fine. After all… there aren't any real heroes in this world."
"Before we continue… tell me your name. What should I call you?" Asher murmured, his voice low.
"Just call me 'System.' Or, if you prefer, you may give me a name."
"Then 'System' will do."
[ Master, I must warn you. The path you've chosen will be carved in blood. The world will stand against you, just as it did in your previous timeline. ]
"Good. A path soaked in blood is the only one worthy of me. This time, I'll drag their lives through a hell far worse than death. Whatever needs to be sacrificed… I'll sacrifice without a second thought. In the end, I win. That's the only truth that matters," Antonio muttered, his voice a chilling whisper that felt like a blade pressed against the world's throat.