Cold water filled Lucas Hale's lungs.
The river dragged him deeper into darkness as the last moments of his miserable life flashed through his mind.
Betrayed by friends.
Abandoned by family.
Crushed by endless debt.
Even his death was pathetic.
His vision slowly faded as the freezing water swallowed him.
So this is how it ends…
Darkness consumed everything.
Then—
Lucas gasped.
Air rushed violently into his lungs.
He sat upright in shock.
"Hah—!"
His eyes darted around the room.
Instead of freezing water, he found himself lying on a massive bed covered in silk sheets.
A golden chandelier hung from the ceiling.
Polished marble floors reflected the sunlight coming through enormous windows.
"This… isn't my apartment."
Lucas slowly stood up.
His reflection stared back at him from a tall mirror.
A young man with black hair and sharp eyes.
Dressed in elegant noble clothing.
Handsome.
But unfamiliar.
"…Who is that?"
Suddenly—
A stabbing pain shot through his head.
Memories that didn't belong to him flooded his mind.
A noble family.
Political rivalries.
Magic academies.
Monsters and dungeons.
Different races.
And one name echoed loudly in his mind.
Adrian Valemont.
Lucas froze.
"No way…"
Adrian Valemont was a character from a fantasy novel Lucas had read before he died.
A spoiled noble.
Arrogant.
Lazy.
And completely talentless.
But the worst part wasn't his personality.
It was his fate.
Adrian Valemont was a minor villain in the story.
In Chapter 18, he challenged the protagonist to a duel over a girl.
The result?
He was defeated in seconds.
Humiliated.
And killed.
Lucas slowly grabbed his head.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
Of all characters to reincarnate as…
He had become the villain destined to die in Chapter 18.
But before panic could fully set in—
A mechanical voice echoed inside his mind.
[Ding!]
System Activation Complete
Lucas blinked.
"…System?"
A glowing blue interface appeared before his eyes.
Host: Adrian ValemontRace: HumanMagic Talent: F RankCurrent Power Level: Beginner Mage
Lucas frowned.
"F rank…?"
That was the lowest possible magic talent.
Just like in the novel.
But the system continued.
[The Infinite Resonance System has been activated.]
New text appeared.
Core Ability: Resonance Bond
The host can form special bonds with powerful individuals.
When bonded, the host gains access to their:
• Magic talents• Elemental affinities• Bloodline abilities• Combat skills• Racial traits
Lucas read the message slowly.
"…Racial traits?"
The system responded.
[System Amplification: ×1000]
All abilities gained through Resonance Bonds are amplified one thousand times.
Lucas froze.
"…One thousand times?"
That was insane.
If someone had A-Rank magic talent, the system could turn it into something far stronger.
Possibly even Mythic-level power.
Lucas slowly began to smile.
"So this is my cheat…"
Maybe fate hadn't completely abandoned him.
He walked toward the window and looked outside.
The massive capital city stretched across the horizon.
Tall stone towers.
Magic-powered airships.
Knight patrols moving through the streets.
This was the world of the novel.
A world filled with monsters, magic, and powerful races.
Humans ruled many kingdoms.
But they were far from the strongest race.
The Races of the World
Lucas remembered the world-building from the novel.
Many races existed across the continent.
Humans
The most common race.
Humans adapted quickly and built the largest kingdoms.
They relied heavily on magic training and technology.
The Royal Magic Academy trained the most powerful human mages.
Elves
A long-lived race known for their beauty and incredible magic control.
Elves were especially powerful with wind, water, and nature magic.
Their hidden forest kingdoms had existed for thousands of years.
Beastkin
Humanoid races with animal traits.
Wolfkin warriors.
Catkin assassins.
Foxkin tricksters.
Their senses and physical abilities far surpassed humans.
Dragonkin
Descendants of ancient dragons.
Even a small amount of dragon blood granted immense power.
The protagonist of the original novel—
Leon Draven
possessed the legendary Dragon Emperor Bloodline.
That was the power that allowed him to dominate everyone.
Including Adrian.
Demons
A powerful race from the Demon Realm.
They wielded dark magic and possessed incredible physical strength.
Many kingdoms feared them.
But demons were not always evil.
Some even lived among humans.
Vampires
One of the most mysterious races in the world.
The Nightborn.
Vampires possessed terrifying abilities such as:
• Blood magic• Superhuman speed• Shadow manipulation• Near immortality
They ruled the dark nation known as the Shadowveil Empire.
Lucas leaned against the window.
"This world is insane…"
Each race possessed powerful abilities and unique bloodlines.
Normally, humans could never obtain those powers.
But Adrian had something special.
The Infinite Resonance System.
If he bonded with someone from another race…
He could gain their powers.
And the system would amplify them one thousand times.
Adrian's eyes slowly narrowed.
"If I bond with an elf…"
He could gain supreme elemental magic.
"If I bond with a dragonkin…"
He might gain dragon power.
"And if I bond with a vampire…"
He could obtain terrifying blood magic.
Adrian slowly began to laugh.
The villain who was supposed to die in Chapter 18…
Was about to become something far more dangerous.
Far in the distance, he could see the towers of the Royal Magic Academy rising above the city.
That was where the story truly began.
Where Adrian originally died.
But this time…
The story would be different.
Adrian's smile slowly widened.
"The hero thinks he's the main character."
"But let's see what happens…"
"When the villain steals his destiny."