"Mr. Caleb, will you or will you not go to training?" the maid asked, her tone sharp with impatience.
But Caleb wasn't listening. His mind was elsewhere—spiraling. He was deep in thought, weighing his choices carefully. Dying once was enough; he wasn't about to let it happen again.
If he wanted to live… he'd have to change everything.
He'd have to become someone the protagonist couldn't afford to mess with.
There were two choices.
The first—to erase every trace of his villainous self and side with the protagonist.
The second—to embrace his role as an antagonist and rise above his fate.
To most, the second option would seem like suicide. But to Caleb—who fully understood his place in the story—it was survival.
If he could raise his status from a third-rate villain to a true threat, no one—not even the protagonist—would dare to defy him.
But right now, that was easier said than done.
The only remarkable thing about him was his face—everything else screamed weak. His body was scrawny, frail, and untrained.
In the novel, Caleb Ragnar had been described as an SSS-ranked talent, someone with potential rivaling the protagonist's. But readers never cared for him. His arrogance, cruelty, and third-rate villain antics had buried his potential beneath disgust.
If only he'd been more than a petty villain… he could've been loved.
"I'll go," Caleb said, stepping out of bed — still disoriented, his voice carrying a mix of reluctance and resignation.
There was a strange sensation as he shifted under the covers—soft, smooth, and oddly unfamiliar. At first, he thought it was just the blanket.
But the moment he stood up… reality hit him.
He froze.
He was butt naked. Completely and unapologetically dressed in nothing but shame and confusion.
The maid, instead of turning her head away, flushed crimson. "My goodness, Mr. Caleb! Is there any decency left in you?" she said, covering her face with one hand but peeking through her fingers nonetheless.
'Why is she covering her face if she's just going to peek through her fingers?' he thought, glancing down at his lower half—his "dangling snake," as he put it.
"Ohhh, he's packing… guess that means I'll get the baddies," he muttered under his breath with a smug grin.
He picked up the trousers lying on the floor and sighed. "So Caleb really slept butt naked, huh."
Then, looking toward the flustered maid, he said, "Allow me to take a shower, okay? Please leave."
The maid nodded quickly, her cheeks still tinted red. "O-okay, Mr. Caleb," she stammered before rushing out of the room, closing the door behind her.
As soon as she left, the red screen from before flickered back to life before his eyes.
[Synchronization with the world — Time left: 00:21]
"Synchronization?" Caleb muttered. "As in… getting to know the world and shit?"
He rubbed his temples. "Well, whatever. I'll figure it out after a shower—I reek of alcohol."
That part, at least, was accurate. Caleb Ragnar—the third-rate villain of Battle of Heroes and Dragons—was known for his good looks, bad temper… and worse drinking habits.
On the other side of the door, the maid hadn't left; she just stood there, her expression completely changed. It was clear—pure disgust. She looked as if she had just witnessed someone vomit.
"Ugh, do I have to babysit such a disgusting piece of trash? If only I could serve Damian Ragnar. He's truly blessed with power and looks. The only thing this lousy piece of garbage has is a cute face, and that's it," she muttered.
Then she left.
Back to Caleb, who acted as though he hadn't heard her, he went into the bathroom and saw a huge bathtub. He ran the hot water and sank in, feeling a satisfaction as if he had been more than truly alive. Then the screen appeared again, stating:
[Synchronisation with the world time left 00:00]
[Beginning synchronisation with the world]
At that moment, it felt as though a giant metal club was smashing into his head.
ARGGGGH!
He screamed, submerged in the bathtub full of hot water. His body convulsed violently as bulging veins appeared across his neck and face.
His screams echoed relentlessly, filling the entire hallway outside his bedroom.
And then the screen appeared again and said
[Synchronisation complete. You now possess full knowledge of Caleb Ragnar from his birth to the present.]
[You have awareness of certain parts of the world.]
[Due to the successful synchronisation, you are now connected to the system window.]
[System Window Activated]
[Welcome, Caleb Ragnar.]
[You now have access to your attributes, skills, and world knowledge.]
[Use wisely. Your choices will shape your future.]
The flurry of messages continued to cascade across the screen, a torrent of knowledge and power.
Caleb, still reeling from the excruciating pain of the synchronization, could barely focus. His vision blurred, his body trembling—and then, unable to withstand it any longer, he passed out.
After what felt like two hours, Caleb awoke—still in the enormous bathtub. His head throbbed painfully. Slowly, he stood, his body looking even more scrawny than before, practically nothing but bones, his skin pruned and pale from the long soak.
"Ugh," he muttered weakly. "How long have I been passed out?"
Forgetting about the system window entirely, he stepped out of the bathroom and moved toward the large closet filled with clothes. After scanning it briefly, he changed into a red outfit—fancy, yet clearly designed for training.
As he left the room, he muttered under his breath, "I really hope what I'm expecting to happen actually happens."
On his way out, Caleb recalled the synchronisation and the knowledge it had granted him of the Ragnar Clan's massive mansion. What shocked him wasn't just the sheer size of the estate—it was the realization that there were more than seven of these colossal mansions.
As he moved through the mansion, Caleb looked around, admiring the intricate designs, the portraits of his ancestors, and the ancient swords that, despite their age, still gleamed with unmistakable vigor.
And then he saw it—the massive training ground. Standing there, waiting for him, was a woman clad in light armor, her blonde hair catching the sunlight.
Caleb admired her beauty as he approached. He stopped in front of the woman and bowed deeply, like a character out of a Japanese manga he'd read one too many times. "Good day to you, m'lady. Please forgive my late arrival and my lack of reverence for this training I've been blessed with. I promise it won't happen again."
He spoke exactly like a manga character—so overly formal and respectful that it felt almost wrong, like he was performing a role rather than simply addressing her.
And then—a chime echoed in his mind.
[First Quest given]!
[Quest: Survive Adele's Wrath as much as possible]!
[Rewards upon completion;]!
[Unlocking of SSS talent]!
[Two A rank skills]!
[One A rank Weapon]!
"Fuck!" he thought. "I completely forgot about the system window."
And then—
*
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*A/N
Untitled here!
Hope you enjoyed as I really tried creating this for you. Please be lenient with the poorness of the work and in the future it'll improve. Please give me your support!!
Power stones would be appreciated aswell as a collection!!
Bye!!