Arlo wanted to die.
His blue eyes, always so captivating, stared at the fire before him. And inside him grew the desire to throw his body into that bonfire and burn to death.
Even that would be better than his current life.
It wasn't the first time he had contemplated ending it all. But he had never thought about it so seriously.
His body trembled softly. He wished he were just a little less competent. That way, he would have already been discarded like all the others, achieving the only peace that place held: death.
"It's ironic..." he smiled faintly, remembering his childhood friend.
At the time, he was only five years old, and the girl had complained about how unfair the world was; after all, Arlo had been blessed by fate.
The boy was still very young, so it was impossible to know if he would truly be handsome. But considering his mother's beauty, it was almost inevitable that he would become someone who could capture hearts with a small smile.
But that wasn't all. Even at such a young age, he had already learned to read, write, and master the basics of arithmetic and cartography that many took a lifetime to learn. Furthermore, he was a promising fighter, facing much older children in the dojo.
It seemed that no matter what he tried, he would succeed. He truly was loved by fate.
But what did fate want him to become? The world's greatest swordsman? An unparalleled chef? Or perhaps a scientist who could converse on equal terms with Vegapunk?
No, fate chose for him to be a slave.
His life ended the day a Celestial Dragon visited his small village. He never saw his mother again and never smiled genuinely again.
When he was just five years old, Arlo was taken, and for the next fourteen years, he survived as a slave, doing everything and anything.
In fact, not a single slave in Mary Geoise who worked directly with the Celestial Dragons had been on that damned land longer than he had.
The Celestial Dragons killed slaves for the smallest of mistakes, so the workforce was constantly replaced.
For that very reason, at that moment, he was being dragged by a chain around his neck, along with other naked men.
And a false smile formed on his face.
He thought about throwing himself into the immense bonfire that the woman kept in her room as decoration, but it wouldn't be worth it.
The boy would not accept death without killing at least a few Celestial Dragons.
And it was at that instant that a blue screen flashed before his eyes.
[Due to a system error, the protagonist of this world is dead.]
[Adding a new protagonist to the story would create problems. It is a tedious option.]
[In this case, the system believes a Villain is the only way to rebalance this world.]
Arlo blinked slowly, confused by what he was seeing. Had exhaustion and lack of food driven him completely mad? Regardless, the final message appeared before his eyes.
[Would you like to become the user of the Invincible System?]
But before Arlo could choose, Antonieta's unpleasant voice tore through the room.
"I see you've finally arrived. Display the toys for me at once."
The woman sat on her throne, her eyes as arrogant as ever. A malicious smile played on her lips as she scanned through the options she had for her pleasure that day.
In the end, the choice was obvious. Her eyes widened as she noticed the beautiful face of Arlo, his blond hair, perfect smile, and captivating eyes. He was muscular, just the perfect amount, and even his cock was perfect, big and imposing, as a man should be.
Antonieta licked her lips slowly in a disgusting manner. Her eyes had a unique mixture of desire and disgust that just a celestial dragon could have.
She ordered in a clear tone, as she pointed to Arlo, "I want that man."
A strong, silent slave immediately seized Arlo by the collar, forcefully propelling him out of the room, while all other sex slaves were dismissed.
Antonieta quickly reviewed a short list of individuals designated for elimination because their appearances no longer met her capricious standards.
In addition, she listed those who would be compelled to have sex with each other, as she enjoyed watching same-sex encounters.
She was not the only celestial dragon, male or female, with this perverse interest, but Arlo had been lucky to escape such a destiny up to that point.
Finally, she listed two or three who would receive proper nourishment and care, and would be forced to train intensely so they could serve her at a later time.
Or perhaps she would simply kill them and procure new slaves, who knows what she might decide?
Meanwhile, Arlo was rushed to an adjoining preparation room where he was subjected to a thorough cleansing. His body was scrubbed with rare perfumed soaps, ensuring no trace of the outside world remained on his skin.
Since he was used to the whole ordeal, he felt this was the perfect opportunity to finally read and understand the crazy, bluish screen in front of his eyes.
Finally, he was marched back toward the throne chamber.
The moment Arlo stepped across the threshold, a series of thick, tempered glass partitions smoothly and silently emerged from the polished marble floor.
The next red curtain dropped, guaranteeing no one from the outside could see the inside, effectively isolating Antonieta and her chosen toy.
The air within this crystal enclosure immediately changed. A barely audible hum indicated that an advanced air purification system had been engaged, circulating a clean, almost sterile breeze saturated with the exclusive fragrance of white jasmine and ozone.
Antonieta leaned back against the sumptuous furs of her throne, her lips twisting into a slow, predatory smirk. The opulence of the chamber was a stark contrast to the degradation that was about to occur.
Just then, she plucked the breathing bubble from her face with a delicate, practiced motion. Her suit, specially designed for such indulgences, featured a prominent zipper down the front.
Then came the part Arlo hated most.
With a languid, theatrical slowness, the woman began to unzip her suit. The material parted to reveal a body that was an offense to the eye.
A soft, doughy torso spilled forth, layers of pale fat accumulating in a slack pouch on her belly. Genetics alone spared her from outright obesity, granting her a gaunt frame that made her distended stomach seem even more pronounced.
The same miserable genetics made her breasts as flat and unremarkable as the glass walls protecting them. Still, he thought with a sliver of grim gratitude, they were at least not the two sagging, empty sacs of skin that had nearly reached his last master's navel.
Finally, she shimmied out of the suit entirely, revealing the patch of coarse, unkempt pubic hair that desperately needed a razor. The wiry curls crept upwards, encroaching on the pale swell of her lower belly like a neglected thicket.
But the worst part was the smell. It couldn't be any different, considering how these morons wore full suits all day long, with no breathing room. All the accumulated sweat, all the farts, everything.
They never noticed, because their special bubble actually drew air directly from a small air tank, which in turn collected and filtered outside air.
Well, she wasn't using her breathing bubble at that moment, and she still seemed utterly unaware of how terrible her smell was.
Maybe it was just that the Celestial Dragons' minds had stopped working altogether?
"Come. Lick me," she ordered, spreading her pale, thick thighs wide, an act of supreme arrogância.
"No, I don't want to, " Arlo answered, his voice flat and final.
"What are you saying? Do you understand the gravity of your words? We rule the world, so get on your knees and obey. Guards, come here immediately!"
"You can scream as much as you want, but no one will come. They can't hear you." Arlo strapped forward with an arrogant smile and whispered in her ear.
Finally, Antonieta felt really intimidated, her heart sank, and she felt anxious, screaming nonstop for her guards.
Unable to count on her guards, she launched forward, aiming to hit Arlo directly. Naturally, he easily held her punch.
"You know... Every day, I watch your people, and I satisfy your needs. But it never ceases to amaze me how incompetent you can be. How the Celestial Dragons even came to rule the world is, I think, the greatest mystery in history."
"Keep insulting me, and I promise I will make you wish you were dead."
"Thetening me now?" Arlo smiled sadistically. "I like it," he murmured. "Let's see how long your pathetic facade will last.
[The user's desires have been received.]
[Your power will be modulated based on your deepest hatreds.]
[The power has been fully calculated.]
[First Quest: Break the arrogant bitch, Antonieta.]
[Do you accept?]
Naturally, the man could only choose yes.