The last thing I, Alex, felt was cold steel kissing my ribs and the warm, shameful gush of my own life onto dirty concrete. A stupid end for a guy who lived by his fists. I expected nothing—just black.
I didn't expect this.
—[System Initializing…]
—[Vessel Synchronization: 100% Complete.]
—[Welcome, Host, to the World of Astra.]
A voice like oiled knives slid into my skull. My eyes flew open.
I wasn't in an alley. I was lying in a bed bigger than my old apartment, under a blanket softer than any woman's touch I'd ever known. The air smelled of money—clean, floral, with a hint of polished wood. Sunlight streamed through a giant window, painting everything in gold.
What the hell?
I pushed myself up. My body… it felt wrong. Lighter, stronger, buzzing with a youth I'd wasted. I looked at my hands—no calluses from countless fights, no tattooed knuckles. Just smooth, unmarked skin belonging to someone named Leo Carter.
Memories that weren't mine flooded in, a second life crashing into my own.
A dungeon outbreak. A child screaming. A family, dead. Then, rescue—by them. The Carter Family, an A-Rank Hunter household, pillars of our city, Heliodor. They took in the orphan. Gave him their name. Gave him everything.
And what a family it was.
Aunt Victoria Carter, the family head, an A-Rank Vanguard whose gaze could freeze a man's soul. Mother Elena Carter, a retired B-Rank Healer, kindness incarnate with eyes that held deep sorrow. The eldest sister, Claire Carter, a rising B-Rank Elementalist, prideful and fiercely protective. The middle sister, Lily Carter, a C-Rank Scout, all cheerful smiles and boundless energy. And the youngest, Sophia Carter, just Awakened as a D-Rank Enchanter, shy and bookish.
The only other man? Cain Carter, the late patriarch, a C-Rank. Respected, but a reminder of the natural order here: Women lead. Women fight. Women are power. Men? We're support. We're background. Our ceiling? A-Rank. A fact beaten into every boy from birth.
A grin spread across my—Leo's—face. A delinquent's grin.
"Beautiful…" I whispered to the opulent room. A house full of powerful, beautiful women, and I was the precious, adopted son. The only young male in their gilded cage.
The oily voice returned.
—[Primary Directive: Corruption.]
—[This world's order is rigid. Your function is to dissolve it. Pollute the pure. Tempt the righteous. Cultivate desire from duty.]
—[The Heavenly Demon System will reward your depravity. The greater the sin, the greater the power.]
—[Initial Objective: Establish 'Innocent Influence' within the household. Reward: [Minor Physique Enhancement].]
A screen flickered in my vision, transparent but real. A status page.
Name: Leo Carter
Age: 17
Rank: Unawakened
Physique: D+ (Youthful, Fit)
System Points: 0
Abilities: None
Titles: [Adopted Son of Carter Family], [Vessel of the Heavenly Demon]
Power. They had it all. And this… System… was my key to taking it. Not through the front door, like some chump. But from the inside. By being the good son. The grateful brother. The innocent young man.
I threw off the covers and stood, walking to the full-length mirror. The reflection showed a handsome kid with tousled brown hair and bright green eyes—eyes that now held a dark, familiar hunger behind a carefully crafted veil of confusion.
A knock came at the door, soft and hesitant.
"Leo? Sweetheart, are you awake?" The voice was warm honey, laced with concern. Mother Elena.
The game begins.
I let my shoulders slump, injected a faint tremor into my voice, and painted my face with the perfect picture of bewildered vulnerability.
"M-Mom? I… I had the strangest dream…"
I opened the door.
---
A/N (Author's Note):
Alright, chapter one is live! Welcome to Heavenly Scum.
This is a story that lives in a morally gray—leaning pretty dark—area. Our MC, Alex/Leo, is not a hero. He's a delinquent given a golden ticket and a devil's mandate. The Heavenly Demon System is his engine, and corruption is his fuel.
The world of Astra is built on a clear, matriarchal power dynamic. We'll explore that, break it, and twist it. The Carter family are not just targets; they're complex characters with their own strengths, secrets, and vulnerabilities. Leo's path to power will be a slow, psychological seduction, exploiting trust and affection.
Expect a mix of system-based progression, dark romance, psychological manipulation, and the unraveling of a noble family from within. The tone will be tense, provocative, and unapologetically indulgent in its core premise.
As the system said: the greater the sin, the greater the power. Let's see how far our serpent in the garden can go.
Next up: Leo's first family breakfast. Innocence is a powerful weapon. How will he use it?
— Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!