The blade pierced through my heart with a wet, sickening sound, and the last thing I saw was the satisfied smile of my best friend.
"Sorry, Kaito," Ryuji whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of my own blood dripping onto the cold concrete floor. "But the championship prize money... I need it more than you do."
I wanted to speak, to ask him why, to curse him for his betrayal, but the words wouldn't come. Only blood spilled from my lips as my vision began to fade. We had been gaming partners for five years, conquering every MMORPG together, building our reputation as the unstoppable duo "Shadow Phoenix." And now, on the eve of the biggest tournament of our careers, he had stabbed me in the back—literally.
The irony wasn't lost on me. In the game, I always played the villain characters. The dark sorcerers, the fallen knights, the ruthless emperors who conquered worlds through cunning and power. Ryuji said I was too good at it, that I understood the villain's mindset better than anyone. Turns out he was right.
As consciousness slipped away, my last thought was bitter amusement. If there was a next life, I wouldn't make the same mistake of trusting anyone ever again.
When I opened my eyes, the first thing I noticed was that I wasn't dead. The second thing I noticed was that I definitely wasn't in my cramped Tokyo apartment anymore.
I was lying in an enormous four-poster bed draped with rich crimson silk, in a room that screamed medieval nobility. Stone walls were adorned with tapestries depicting battles and conquests, while a massive fireplace crackled with warmth. Everything was luxurious yet somehow menacing, as if beauty and danger danced together in perfect harmony.
I sat up slowly, my head pounding, and caught sight of myself in an ornate mirror across the room. The reflection that stared back at me was definitely not Kaito Nakamura, the scrawny twenty-two-year-old gamer with messy brown hair and tired eyes.
Instead, I saw a tall, imposing young man with jet-black hair that fell elegantly to his shoulders and piercing crimson eyes that seemed to glow with inner fire. My—no, his—face was aristocratically handsome but carried an air of dangerous authority. Even sitting in bed, this body radiated power and confidence.
"What the hell?" I muttered, and even my voice was different—deeper, more commanding, with a slight accent I couldn't place.
Suddenly, memories that weren't mine began flooding my consciousness. Aldric Von Darkmoor, eldest son of Duke Darkmoor, heir to one of the most powerful noble houses in the Kingdom of Astoria. But not just any noble—according to these memories, I was the primary antagonist of "Chronicles of the Divine Hero," a light novel I had been reading during my breaks between gaming sessions.
In the original story, Aldric was a cruel, arrogant villain who tormented the hero Magnus Lightbringer throughout their academy years, eventually becoming the final boss that Magnus had to defeat to save the world. Aldric was supposed to die in about two years, killed by the hero's legendary sword after a climactic battle.
"You've got to be kidding me," I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "I get reincarnated as the villain? And not just any villain—the one who's destined to lose?"
But as I processed this information, something strange happened. Instead of despair, I felt... excitement. After all, who understood villains better than someone who had played them for years? And unlike the original Aldric, I had something he never possessed: knowledge of the future.
That's when it appeared.
A translucent blue screen materialized in front of me, hovering in the air like a game interface. Text began scrolling across it in elegant script:
[REVENGE SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
[HOST: ALDRIC VON DARKMOOR]
[LEVEL: 1]
[TITLE: FALLEN HEIR]
[WELCOME MESSAGE: You have been chosen as the vessel for the Revenge System. Your betrayal and death in your previous life have awakened ancient powers that demand retribution. Use this system to claim your revenge against all who wronged you, and rewrite the fate that was meant to destroy you.]
[MAIN MISSION: ELIMINATE THE HERO MAGNUS LIGHTBRINGER]
[REWARD: UNKNOWN]
[FAILURE: DEATH]
[SYSTEM FUNCTIONS UNLOCKED:
- Enemy Analysis
- Power Multiplication (Rage Based)
- Skill Acquisition
- Loyalty Domination
- Future Prediction (Limited)]
[CURRENT STATS:
- Strength: 15
- Agility: 12
- Intelligence: 20
- Charisma: 18
- Magic Power: 25
- Rage: 100/100]
I stared at the screen, my heart racing with possibilities. This was exactly like the game systems I was familiar with, but in real life. And that rage stat... it was already maxed out. Probably from the betrayal I had experienced in my previous life.
"Interesting," I murmured, reaching out to touch the screen. It felt solid beneath my fingers, responding to my touch like a real interface. "So I'm supposed to kill the hero, am I? How delightfully straightforward."
The original Aldric had been powerful but ultimately predictable. He relied on brute force and political influence, never truly understanding the hero's strengths or the loyalty he inspired in others. But I was different. I had read the entire story. I knew every character's backstory, every plot twist, every strength and weakness.
More importantly, I knew that Magnus Lightbringer wasn't the noble hero everyone believed him to be. He was a manipulative hypocrite who used his charm to seduce women and abandoned them when they were no longer useful. He stole credit for others' achievements and let innocent people die to protect his own reputation. The only reason he won in the original story was because the author needed a "hero" to triumph over the "villain."
But this time would be different.
I stood up, surprised by how naturally this powerful body moved. The original Aldric had been trained in combat and magic since childhood, and those skills were now mine. I walked to the window and looked out at the sprawling grounds of the Darkmoor estate. Rolling hills stretched to the horizon, dotted with small villages where my family's subjects lived and worked.
According to my inherited memories, I was currently eighteen years old, and the entrance exams for the Royal Academy of Magic were in just two months. That's where I would first encounter Magnus and his future harem of devoted followers. In the original story, Aldric spent those academy years making enemies of everyone who mattered, setting himself up for inevitable defeat.
Not this time.
"System," I said aloud, and the interface appeared again. "Show me enemy analysis."
[ENEMY ANALYSIS ACTIVATED]
[SCANNING FOR NEARBY TARGETS...]
[NO HOSTILE ENTITIES DETECTED IN CURRENT LOCATION]
[KNOWN FUTURE ENEMIES:
- Magnus Lightbringer (Hero) - Weakness: Arrogance, Lust
- Seraphina Brightblade (Hero's Companion) - Weakness: Rigid Honor Code
- Elena Starweaver (Hero's Companion) - Weakness: Emotional Manipulation
- Additional enemies will be revealed as story progresses]
Perfect. I already had more information than the original Aldric ever possessed. But knowing your enemies was only half the battle. I needed allies, and I knew exactly where to find them.
In the original story, Magnus had gathered a group of powerful women around him through a combination of rescued-maiden scenarios and emotional manipulation. Each of them had their own tragic backstory and formidable abilities. But what if someone else got to them first? Someone who understood their pain and could offer them something better than empty promises?
I smiled, and it wasn't a nice expression. The face in the mirror looked like a predator who had just spotted prey.
"Luna Shadowmere," I said to myself, recalling the first of Magnus's future companions. "The assassin who's currently imprisoned in the capital's dungeons, awaiting execution for crimes she didn't commit. She's supposed to be rescued by Magnus in three months, after which she becomes his most devoted follower."
The original Aldric never even knew she existed. But I did.
I moved to the wardrobe and selected an outfit appropriate for travel—dark leather armor that looked noble but practical, with the Darkmoor family crest embroidered in silver thread. As I dressed, I continued planning.
"The key to defeating Magnus isn't just being stronger than him," I mused. "It's being smarter. He relies on his protagonist's luck and the devotion of his companions. Remove those advantages, and he's just another arrogant pretty boy with a sword."
A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. "Young Master Aldric?" came a respectful voice. "Your father requests your presence in his study."
Duke Darkmoor. According to my memories, he was a powerful but distant man who valued strength above all else. In the original story, he was disappointed by his son's eventual defeat and death, but he never actually opposed Aldric's villainous actions. A useful ally, if I could maintain his respect.
"I'll be there shortly," I called back, fastening my sword belt around my waist. The blade was a masterwork of dark steel and silver, enchanted with shadow magic. It felt natural in my hands, like an extension of my will.
Before leaving the room, I took one more look at my reflection. The young man staring back at me looked like he could conquer the world, and maybe he could. After all, I had something the original Aldric never possessed: the hunger for revenge and the knowledge to achieve it.
"Magnus Lightbringer," I said quietly, my crimson eyes gleaming with dark promise. "You have no idea what's coming for you."
The system screen flickered to life one more time:
[QUEST ACCEPTED: MEET WITH DUKE DARKMOOR]
[REWARD: INCREASED FAMILY INFLUENCE]
[BONUS OBJECTIVE: MAINTAIN FATHER'S RESPECT]
I dismissed the screen with a gesture and headed toward the door. The game was about to begin, and this time, the villain was going to win.